Late Night Encounters
by kyla713
Summary: Lonely ER doc Edward Cullen goes online one night in curiosity, never expecting to find what was awaiting him. AH/possibly some OOC.
1. The Unknown

**Disclaimer: I obviously am not Stephenie Meyer, so I don't own anything Twilight... other than my multiple copies of the book and movie, and my wild imagination involving these characters. **

**Chapter 1 ~ The Unknown**

**EPOV**

Finally home. I had chosen my profession to save lives and in exchange, it felt as if I were sacrificing my sanity. Being the chief resident of the ER wasn't easy, as it was never meant to be, but that day in particular seemed to just take the cake. Surrounded by interns who didn't even look old enough to be out of high school yet, the nurses who were making not so subtle attempts to flirt with me, and then on top of it all, my best friend, Emmett, busting my balls about needing to get out and get laid. He and I had been friends since I was an intern myself and he was working his way through medical school as an orderly. He had eventually dropped out of med school and kept the job, and we had worked for many years together in the ER. And I had endured just as many years of him being on my ass about my lackluster sex life.

To be honest, I couldn't totally disagree with him. The last time I'd had sex was with Tanya six months ago before that relationship went up in smoke, just like the rest of them. Yet, even that had never been exceedingly gratifying; very routine and unadventurous. Beyond that, it was difficult to find a woman who would tolerate the long hours and my pager going off at all hours of the night, so I'd just given up entirely. However, I also didn't get off on random encounters, either. I needed a connection with a woman, and for that, Emmett called me soft.

I fell back onto my couch, enjoying the feel of finally sitting down somewhere other than my car and rested my head back. Reaching into the front pocket of my scrubs to grab my cigarettes, I heard a piece of paper crinkle and fall beside me. I picked it up and opened it, immediately seeing Emmett's handwriting and groaning.

_Ed, seriously man. You're too uptight lately. If you're not gonna come out with the guys, at least try this out. Might ease you up a bit._

I glanced below the note to see a cybersex website written there and quickly crumpled it, casting it aside on the couch. _Dammit Emmett,_ I groaned internally, tossing my pack of cigarettes on the table and opting for a shower instead.

As I stepped inside moments later, I tried to focus on the hot jets relaxing the muscles in my neck. But thoughts of that slip of paper kept creeping into my mind, and before I realized it, I was hard. Was I _really_ that desperate?

_It's been six months,_ my inner voice chanted in. _Even your porn collection is getting lonely._

My porn collection. Courtesy of Emmett, of course. I knew I needed to get off, but porn just didn't do it for me. Even then, standing in the shower, rock hard and trying to picture the images in my head of writhing and moaning women as I was jerking off for some relief... nothing. I groaned in frustration and released my hand from my throbbing cock, trying to think of anything non-sexual I could possibly conjure. Football … Mom ... Emmett's mom … _shit_, wrong direction. Mrs. McCarty was hot, as much as I knew I should _not _have thought that way of my friend's mother. I gave up and just continued showering to get it over with.

When I had finally finished showering and grabbed my Corona from the kitchen, the crumbled piece of paper on the couch caught my eye as I passed on my way to check my email before I turned in. _I am not_ _that desperate_, I said to myself as I grabbed my smokes and then settled down into the leather chair at my desk. I clicked on my email and lit a cigarette, and then began choking on the initial drag as I looked up to the first message.

_Subject: Enlarge your manhood_.

_Have her screaming all night._

Damn spam filter failing on me again. That was exactly what I did _not_ need to be thinking about. I was having enough trouble with what I already had, as it sent me another painful reminder of its presence.

"What the hell," I grumbled, setting my cigarette down in the ashtray and walking over to the couch before I could change my mind. I grabbed the ball of paper and sat back down at my desk, flattening it out before typing in the address.

"I'm going to kill you, Emmett," I muttered before hitting 'enter'.

_Find partners for sex chat, webcam sex, phone sex. Sign up for free today!_

"Shit, I can't believe I'm doing this," I said to myself as I dragged my cursor over to the 'Register Now!' link, and began filling in my information.

_Choose a screenname_

Ah, hell.

_Well, those nurses and interns always comment on your eyes,_ that internal voice was encouraging me _way _too much for my liking.

"GreeneyedDoc," I read aloud as I typed it in, and clicked to check the availability. And naturally, it was taken… shit.

I read through the list of suggestions and finally ran across one that was easy to remember. As if I was _ever_ planning to do it again; it was solely to get Emmett off my ass. _Grneyeddoc1981._

I typed in a password and clicked submit, and just like that, I had officially become one of _those_ guys; scouring the net to find pussy when there was none to be found locally. I began my search through the list of women, most of them mainly looking to chat. But some went into even more explicit detail. _Mutual webcam masturbation is a major turn on for me. Watch me shove a 9" dildo up my…._

Next.

Okay, that was definitely something I wanted to avoid. Maybe I needed to be more specific, even if it got deleted the following day.

_28-year-old SWM, experimenting in something new. Fan fiction writer who tames lions in his spare time. Aspiring horticulturalist, voted most likely to induce spontaneous ovulation by use of tongue. _

Completely ridiculous bullshit, obviously. Who actually bought into that crap anyway? And then, a chat box suddenly appeared in the corner of my screen. _BellaNova._ Interesting.

_BellaNova: Hey there. _

I took a deep breath and brought my hands back to the keys. _Here goes nothing._

_Grneyeddoc1981: hi_

_BellaNova: Saw your profile. Nice… new to this too?_

_Grneyeddoc1981: that obvious?_

_BellaNova: haha I've been on here for a few hours, and you only just now appeared._

_Grneyeddoc1981: you said 'too', so you are as well?_

_BellaNova: yeah… reeeeeeeeally horny tonight._

My eyes widened at her forwardness, but then, I rolled my eyes at myself._ What other reason do people have for coming to this site, dumbass._

_BellaNova: hello?_

_Grneyeddoc1981: me too_

_BellaNova: so, doctor… I assume you really are a doctor?_

_Grneyeddoc1981: perhaps…_

_BellaNova: tease…_

_Grneyeddoc1981: yes, I am a doctor. why?_

_BellaNova: I like scrubs… easy access. What would you have me do to you right now?_

Well, that was a loaded question. What would I have her do to me? Looking down at my erection that was beginning to poke through my boxers, only one thing came to mind.

_Grneyeddoc1981: I want your pretty mouth on my cock_

_Holy shit!_ What was wrong with me? I never spoke to women that way, _ever_; let alone a complete stranger. I kept watching the screen, waiting for her to disconnect.

_BellaNova: take it out for me_

I felt my cock twitch at the sight of those words and grow invariably harder. _Maybe this won't be such a bad idea after all._ I lifted my hips to lower my boxers, releasing my erection.

_BellaNova: is it out? _

_Grneyeddoc1981: yes_

_BellaNova: you have some lube?_

_Grneyeddoc1981: yes _

_BellaNova: I want you to put some in your hand for me…_

I quickly grabbed my lube out of my bedside table and returned to my desk. I couldn't believe how incredibly turned on I was by this faceless woman, who was making me hornier than any I had ever physically been with. I unscrewed the cap and placed some in my hand.

_Grneyeddoc1981: ok_

_BellaNova: now fist your hand and make your cock slide inside really slowly for me_

I did as she requested and made a fist, placing the tip at the edge of my hand and slowly sliding my cock into the tight space. The feeling was heaven, and I almost came right then. The thought that it was a woman who taught me a better trick on how to pleasure myself was excruciatingly erotic.

_Grneyeddoc1981: fuck yes… _

I somehow managed to type one-handed, reveling in the newfound sensation.

_BellaNova: you like my mouth on your cock, Doctor Green Eyes?_

_Grneyeddoc1981: mmmm yes…_

_BellaNova: I am so fucking wet right now_

_Grneyeddoc1981: feel yourself… tell me how wet you really are for me_

_BellaNova: my panties are soaked, doctor… what do you prescribe?_

I smirked. _So, she's into role-playing,_ I thought as my cock throbbed in my hand at the notion, and I stroked myself a few more times before replying.

_Grneyeddoc1981: take them off… stat…_

_BellaNova: as the doctor wishes…_

_Grneyeddoc1981: put your fingers inside yourself, tell me how wet you are for my cock_

_BellaNova: mmmm so warm and so wet…_

_Grneyeddoc1981: I want two fingers in there… my cock is thick, it would stretch you…_

I paused typing and concentrated on my other hand working my cock. I closed my eyes and imagined warm wet lips around me, sucking me. Never had jerking off ever truly felt that good and gotten me so close to coming so fast. At that very moment, her physical appearance wasn't even important; she was a fantasy, anything I wanted.

_Grneyeddoc1981: feel good?_

_BellaNova: so good… I need your cock in me so bad…_

_Grneyeddoc1981: not yet… fuck yourself with your fingers… _

_BellaNova: mmmmmm so close. please… _

_Grneyeddoc1981: now stop… take your fingers out_

_BellaNova: please… I need to come…_

_Grneyeddoc1981: pinch your clit_

I watched the cursor blinking on the screen, waiting for her to respond, and was just about to type something when her message popped up.

_BellaNova: god… please… fuck me…_

_Grneyeddoc1981: how close are you now?_

_BellaNova: very close _

_Grneyeddoc1981: good…don't touch yourself until I say so…_

_BellaNova: fuck… please let me come, dr… _

_Grneyeddoc1981: fuck your mouth feels so good on my cock... throbbing so hard_

_BellaNova: please don't tease…_

I began working my hand faster over my cock, rubbing my thumb in circles over the head. I was so very close, finding it difficult to type one-handed, but I also didn't want to stop. Something about a woman I couldn't see, hear or touch was bringing me to the brink of ecstasy. Never again would I scoff at the idea of cybersex. It had turned out to be one of the most erotic experiences of my life.

_Grneyeddoc1981: you still want my cock inside you?_

_BellaNova: please… fuck me hard… I'm so wet and ready for you_

_Grneyeddoc1981: slide your fingers back inside you and imagine it's my long thick cock_

_BellaNova: ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh fuck dr_

_Grneyeddoc1981: deep inside… feels so good… deeper_

_BellaNova: more… fuck please tell me more_

_Grneyeddoc1981: close?_

_BellaNova: yes_

_Grneyeddoc1981: stop_

_BellaNova: no… god please no…_

_Grneyeddoc1981: how bad do you want it?_

_BellaNova: more than anything…_

_Grneyeddoc1981: suck my cock again… taste yourself all over me_

_BellaNova: mmmmm _

_Grneyeddoc1981: tell me how it tastes_

_BellaNova: heaven… _

_Grneyeddoc1981: I want my cock back inside you_

_BellaNova: fuck…me… now…_

That nearly did me in right there. I began thrusting my hips into my hand, running it along the entire length of my cock.

_Grneyeddoc1981: I'm gonna come…_

_BellaNova: me too_

_Grneyeddoc1981: now!_

_BellaNova: fuck!_

My entire length throbbed in my hand and I let out a loud groan as I came harder than I had in as long as I could remember. I felt lightheaded and my hips thrust of their own accord as my climax lingered, akin to overlapping orgasms. When it finally subsided, I rested back in my chair further, panting heavily. Someone had just made me come with words… only words. No physical or emotional connection. Simple words. And she brought something out in me that I'd never even known existed, and made me realize a fantasy I wasn't aware of.

When I finally regained my composure, I stood to grab a towel when I heard my computer ring again. I quickly swiped the one hanging behind the bathroom door from earlier and hurried back to the computer. She had messaged me again.

_BellaNova: shit… you there?_

With the towel in one hand, cleaning up my chest and replied with my free hand.

_Grneyeddoc1981: yeah. just… wow._

_BellaNova: I just came so fucking hard. You were incredible._

My eyebrows rose as I slid my boxers back on and sat down. She was still being incredibly forward, even after the fact, and that was amazingly hot.

_Grneyeddoc1981: so did I. you're amazing. I'd say we could go for round two, but I have to be back to the hospital in six hours._

_BellaNova: what a shame. I could go all night. What time do you get off?_

_Grneyeddoc1981: 6… Chicago time… 18 hours from now_

_BellaNova: wanna meet again? I'm in LA, so 9 your time?_

I pondered that for a moment. Did I really want to make a habit of it? _Twice is hardly 'habit'_, my inner voice reminded me. _And after six months, one more time will certainly not hurt at all. _

_Grneyeddoc1981: I'll be here_

_BellaNova: so will I… look forward to it. I'll be nice and wet, waiting for you_

_Grneyeddoc1981: mmm I'll make you come even harder_

_BellaNova: you promise?_

_Grneyeddoc1981: guarantee it_

_BellaNova: ohhhhhh… good night, Doc_

_Grneyeddoc1981: good night, Bella…_

I closed the chat screen and logged off for the night, but I didn't make an immediate movement to go to bed. I lit another cigarette, swiveling back and forth in my chair, deep in thought. I'd just had the most amazing sexual experience of my life with a complete stranger. I had never felt more gratified than I did at that moment; thoroughly spent. The way she spoke, the way _I_ spoke… and I enjoyed it. It flowed out of me so naturally, as if I had been doing it forever; when before that night, I could not talk that way to save my life. Maybe it was because she wasn't right in front of me, staring me in the face. I could be that free and open over a computer in a way I never could in real life. It was invigorating.

I snubbed out my cigarette and flipped the living room light switch, walking into my bedroom and quickly falling asleep. Before I knew it, my alarm was going off and I had to get up once again. Yet, for once, I didn't feel drained the way I usually did. I felt relaxed and rested. _Maybe these late night encounters could be a good thing._ As I washed up and shaved for work, I made a mental note to thank Emmett when I went in that morning.

As I walked into the ER less than an hour later, I immediately spotted Emmett and his jaw fell open. He quickly made his way over and followed me into the doctor's lounge. "You got laid! Was it that cutie from Admitting? _Oh,_ it was Jessica from triage wasn't it? _Nice,_ man."

"No… no… and no," I answered casually as I shrugged off my jacket to hang it in my locker and pulled out my white coat, immediately dismissing the notion of thanking him. "So, busy morning so far?"

"Oh, hell no, Doc. You're gonna spill the beans," Emmett replied, shaking his head adamantly and resting on the table in the middle of the lounge.

"Well, it appears that _someone_ left a certain piece of paper in my scrub shirt yesterday that I _happened _to find when I dug out my smokes last night," I replied, shooting a glare over at him and then reaching back into my locker for my stethoscope.

"Holy shit! You actually _went_ to that site? I thought you'd blow it off like everything else. Dude, I'm impressed. The boy has become a _man_!" Emmett announced in a boisterous voice.

"Tact, Emmett. Look it up," I growled as I closed the locker door roughly. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make my rounds."

I walked by him quickly and made my way to the board, seeing that for once the University of Chicago Medical Center Emergency Room was not as slammed as I had hoped. Not only would it give Emmett ample opportunity to grill me about the night before, but it also meant that the next twelve hours were going to drag until I could go home and get online again. I could not believe that I was actually looking forward to what equated to a little more than jerking off to a computer. Not that my sex life had been spectacular beforehand – far from it. And certainly nothing as mind-blowing as the preceding night had been. I had to do it again; to make sure it was not just a fluke, a one-time thing.

"Come on, what was she like? Did you see her?" Emmett began again from behind me as I grabbed one of the charts.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, refusing to look at him.

"I am not discussing this right now, Emmett," I replied in a disinterested voice, as I looked over the chart. "We _are _at work or have you not noticed that. I have patients to see, and that woman right there needs to be taken down to radiology."

He let out a gust of air as I slapped the chart against his chest and walked past him to one of the exam rooms. I needed to get my day started with as little thought as possible to the woman who rocked my foundations the previous night.

I seriously thought that the end of my day would never come, until about three hours before my shift was due to end and a six-car pile-up on the icy freeway swarmed the ER. We were fortunate that there weren't any life threatening injuries, but many that required extensive treatment. So that by the time I finally walked out of there an hour late at seven, I was really in need of a shower and a drink.

And there I sat at my desk, declining several chat requests… waiting for _her_.

_8:55_

_8:56_

_8:57_

Time is such a cruel thing.

_8:58_

_8:59_

_9:00_

I let out a long sigh and shook my head. I would give her a few more minutes. Maybe she got caught up in something or stuck in traffic.

_9:05_

Why did I feel like a pathetic loser, sitting around waiting for a woman I'd never met?

_9:15_

I finished off my beer and snubbed out my smoke, turning off my desk lamp. She wasn't showing up. And just as I was about to close the screen, I heard a familiar ring.

_BellaNova: Are you there?_

**Like it? Hate it? Please let me know, I'm anxious to hear your thoughts and whether I should continue this. Please review.**


	2. The Unexpected

**Chapter 2 ~ The Unexpected**

**Bella POV**

Wow, that was an amazing and extremely powerful dream. I really needed to get laid more often if the best sex I had was in my sleep. My body was still throbbing from the intensity ...and my back was stiff.

_Why is my back stiff?_

I opened my eyes a tiny slit and squeezed them shut again, as the offending morning sun shot into them and straight to my throbbing head. Just how many jello shots did I have the night before?

_Too_ _many, apparently. And now, I have to get up and get ready for class in…_

That did it. My eyes shot open and I sat up, or rather sat up _more_. I was in my computer chair with my monitor still on, but as my eyes tried to focus on the time in the corner, something else caught my attention. I had an unfamiliar chat room on half of my screen, and my eyes widened while my hands came up to cover my mouth in shock.

_Grneyeddoc1981: mmm I'll make you come even harder._

_BellaNova: you promise?_

_Grneyeddoc1981: guarantee it._

_What the hell is this?_ I shifted forward slightly in my chair to stand and my eyes widened more as I lowered them to my lap. Beyond my tank top, I was completely naked. I shot up quickly to run into my bedroom to put some pants on. There was no way that I had done what I was thinking right then. I did _not_ do those things! I could barely even say the _word_ 'sex' without laughing and blushing furiously. I would not talk to a total stranger about com … org … cli … _that_ kind of stuff.

_7:34 am_, the clock in the corner of my screen read. My first class wasn't until ten; plenty of time to make my coffee, take a shower and will away any thoughts of what _had not _occurred the previous night. It would be like none of it ever happened or so I would try to convince myself.

Nonetheless, as I walked out of my kitchen, my morbid curiosity got the better of me and I went back to the computer with coffee in hand. Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought. People did that kind of thing all the time, right? _Yeah, if their name isn't Bella Swan_. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before beginning to scroll up through the conversation. I gasped loudly as I reached the top and began to read. Not only did I _initiate _it, but…

_BellaNova: yeah… reeeeeeeeally horny tonight._

My head fell hard on the desk. _This person must think I am a real pervert or something. I am absolutely never drinking again._

Once again, my eyes were drawn back to the screen. It was not me; there was no way it could have been me.

"I like _scrubs_?" I exclaimed loudly, slapping my hand over my mouth. And he kept _talking_ to me? Well apparently, he had no problem with me being a pervert since he was one as well. Only perverted, lonely and/or ugly men went to those sites when they were desperate for a piece of ass. And knowing my luck, he was all of the above. Yet, was I much better? Not only had I evidently gone to that site the previous night, but I'd talked to a complete stranger about how horny I was, and even instructed him on how to give himself a hand job! I lowered my head and ran my hand though my hair, feeling the flush spread to my cheeks at the thought.

However, I couldn't keep myself from reading it, and even worse, getting turned on by it. I felt a throbbing between my legs as my eyes scanned the filthy things on the screen. And I was getting wet.

I brought my hand down between my legs and began slowly stroking myself through my pants as I read. The more he seemed to tease me, the hornier I was becoming. _Was this what it felt like last night?_

'_put your fingers inside yourself, tell me how wet you really are for my cock'_, I read and without giving it a second thought I slid my hand inside my pants. I released a soft moan as my fingers ran along my slickened skin and slid one inside. I was certainly no stranger to getting myself off, as I hadn't had a boyfriend since the first year of college, and let's face it, a woman has needs. However, I had never felt myself so wet, and from only _reading_ words on a screen.

_fuck yourself with your fingers… _

My eyes flickered down to the clock in the corner of the screen again. I still had over an hour before I needed to be showered and out the door.

"Oh, what the hell," I murmured to myself and raised my hips to slide my pants down my legs. I parted them slowly and slid my hand down my abdomen, nearly jumping from my seat from the sensitivity of my skin when I reached my clit. I really _was_ fucking horny. I let out a soft moan as my hand grazed the oversensitive skin and slowly slid two fingers inside of me. My back arched slightly at the sensations that rushed through my body. I'd never gotten so into masturbating but I couldn't say I didn't like it. I opened my eyes to look at the screen and stared at the words again, and began doing as they instructed. Every thrust of my hand sent a shock through my body as my palm struck my clit in quick succession until my head began to lighten with the rush it was giving me. I was so close to my release already when I read the next statement on the screen.

_now stop… take your fingers out_

_Oh no_! That was just torturous. I was literally throbbing with arousal and I needed my release so bad. I did as the mystery man said and retracted my fingers, my walls clenching in protest to keep them inside.

"Fuck," I cursed softly, closing my eyes to regain some form of composure. _This is insane, why should I be allowing someone else to tell me what to do with my body? Why should it have actually worked? _But apparently, it had the night before. I didn't even get off on erotica, as much as Rosalie had tried to shove those books down my throat. She claimed my lack of action in the past few years was nothing short of disgraceful, and I needed to enhance my imagination a little – since I really didn't see the big deal when it came to sex. Sure, it felt good at times, but there was more to life than sex, contrary to what Rosalie believed. College wasn't simply about sex, booze and parties.

Yet the stranger with no face, no voice – nothing more than a screen name of Grneyeddoc1981 was suddenly doing things to me that no man had ever achieved. And now, I was mentally begging for the same thing I had the night before. I needed to... come.

_...pinch your clit_

Was he insane? As sensitive and swollen as it was? Nevertheless, I did and nearly flew out of my chair. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who could be taught a thing or two about getting himself off. That felt so amazing and had only served to heighten my desire for release. _Who is this man and what the hell was he doing in a sex chat if he knew how to work a woman's body like this?_ _There needed to be more men like this in the real world._ His teasing continued and my hips squirmed involuntarily in my chair, and when I begged for him on the screen, I found my lips repeating the words.

"Please, fuck me hard."

I was actually relieved when he told me to slide my fingers back inside and imagine that it was him. I closed my eyes, and for a moment, I could. I didn't even want to open them and see what he had written next, but I did. When I saw that it told me to stop again, I couldn't do it. I was so close and I just needed to release. So, I ignored the rest and closed my eyes, continuing on and rubbing my palm against my clit until I came.

My head shot up once it subsided. That was_ it? That_ was what I made an ass out of myself for and agreed to meet with him again, I noticed as I scrolled down?

..._wanna meet again? I'm in LA, so 9 your time?_

There was no way in hell _that_ was happening. I couldn't believe I'd made that much of an idiot of myself over that! Jello shots were _completely_ off limits to me from then on. And with that, I turned off my screen and headed for the shower, cursing myself all the way. I would simply forget it ever happened, and no one ever needed to know.

Except me... well, and _him_, I thought as I tapped my pen between my teeth in Psychology class two hours later, staring at nothing in particular. I hadn't been able to get my mind off the faceless man I knew absolutely nothing about all day. Other than he was online with me the night before, jerking off to my drunken ramblings and bringing something out in me that I would never do in my right mind.

"Miss Swan?" A voice broke me out of my musings and I looked up at the professor, instantly removing the pen from between my teeth and ducked my head to complete the exam. The remainder of the day continued that way with my wandering thoughts, and contemplations. What would happen if I _did_ go back? Have another orgasm that I could give myself alone and go to sleep? Would I even get off again, without alcohol? Doubt it. That was why I was _not_ going back.

_Right?_ I thought to myself in the lecture hall of my Medieval History class an hour later, staring down at my Blackberry. I found the site I was on the night before, and typed in the screen name that had haunted my thoughts all day. _Grneyeddoc1981. _I looked around innocently as the screen loaded, holding it against the front of my shirt to prevent anyone from seeing. When I looked down again, I began reading his profile. Twenty-eight, not _too_ bad. _'Fan fiction writer who tames lions in his spare time'_? The snort that resounded from my restraint to laugh at the absurdity of that line caught the attention of not only the surrounding students, but the professor as well. I bit my lip in embarrassment and set my phone face down on my lap, crouching over my notebook to appear as if I were still taking notes.

After that class, I decided to go home for the day. I was far too distracted by the mystery man, who should have had _no_ impact on my life at all, but instead, was consuming my thoughts. _Just forget about it, Bella. This is college, right? Everyone does crazy things in college and never gives it a second thought. _So why was it bothering me so much?

I decided to shake it off and hit Starbucks on the way home, and then settle myself into a long hot bubble bath after dinner. And of course, _completely_ forget about Grneyeddoc1981, forget the previous night even happened at all and pull myself together.

_Maybe I __should just go out tonight and meet up with the girls. That should be a decent distraction._

Yet, as I lay there surrounded by the vanilla scented suds, mindlessly pinching them between my fingertips and flicking them away, I could think of nothing but his words I read that morning. The way they made my body feel, the tightening in the pit of my stomach I was experiencing right then.

Once I stepped out of the tub and finally wrapped my bathrobe around me, I walked out to the front room and tried to ignore the overbearing presence of the machine in the corner of the living room. But I could almost feel the vibrations from the soft humming emitting from it, drawing me in.

_No! _I scolded myself and continued through to the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea.

Settling down onto my couch and sipping the hot beverage, I grabbed my remote and began channel surfing, wondering why of all nights, there was absolutely _nothing _even minutely interesting on television that evening.

_Because most people actually have _plans _on Friday nights, such as dates and going out and having fun. Not sitting around pondering over some perverted doctor on a despicable website because he's lonely, _my inner monologue began again, and I cursed at it.

I was _not_ lonely... I was simply involuntarily solitary. I wasn't the outgoing and jovial person that Alice was, and also not the self-confident and forthright person that Rose was. I was just ... Bella. Plain, ordinary, and uninteresting Bella. And I was completely content with that. _Since look what happens when I step out of my comfort zone. I get drunk and masturbate to a computer screen._ The same computer screen that I could feel behind me, beckoning me to it.

I glanced at the cable box and read the time. _6:48 pm. _Just the thought of even walking over there and sitting in that same chair began sparking my curiosity again, despite my decision to ignore it all. Would he actually be on? Would he be waiting for me, or would he have already found someone else to obtain his pleasures? Was the night before a fluke, a result of the alcohol... or could it possibly repeat itself?

_Remember what curiosity did to the cat, Bella?_

I let out a frustrated growl, shoving myself off the couch and padding over to my desk. It couldn't hurt to look, and if he was there, I would just log off. As I sat down and turned on my monitor, my eyes focused only on that chat screen that appeared ten times larger than it really was. And as I read through the last few lines again, I felt the heat in my face return and my stomach tightening. I clicked the 'x' in the corner to close out of it; I couldn't do it. That wasn't me at all, so why even pretend that it was?

_Because you're 'curious', remember?_

Why was my subconscious mocking me? My hand rested on the mouse, my middle finger gliding distractedly up and down the scroll button; there was no way I could do it.

I wasn't a prude; I'd had my fair share of boyfriends in high school but this was something completely different. He was a stranger; albeit one who could work my body with words more than any man ever had with physical touch, but a stranger nonetheless. _I should just turn my monitor back off and call it an early night._

_6:55_

Five minutes to make a decision.

"This is so stupid," I muttered to myself, taking a deep breath and clicking the login link. "Shit! What the fuck is my username and password?"

_This is what you get for making stupid decisions like allowing Alice and Rose to drag you out to college parties, where you get blasted, come home and sign up on a sex chat site. _

That inner voice was really getting on my nerves.

"Forgot username," I mumbled as I clicked the link, and smacked my forehead. "Duh, Bella! Check your email."

I opened my email, and sure enough, as if there were a neon sign blazing from my screen, there it was.

_"Subject: Your Log-in information"._

_Username: BellaNova_

_Password: ..._

"Bigcocks4me?" I exclaimed, shooting up out of my chair and almost knocking my tea over. "No no no NO!"

I stepped away from my desk, pacing back and forth across the living room. _What the hell was my problem last night?_ I was not_ that_ desperate to get laid... or whatever _that _would be considered. Biting at the tip of my thumb, I stole glances over at the screen on each pass and the clock in the corner grew exorbitantly larger as each minute passed until it finally read...

_7:00_

Should I or shouldn't I? It wasn't like the guy knew who I was, or that he would even be there in the first place. For all I knew, he was in just as much of a state as I was the night before and wouldn't even remember.

It couldn't hurt to look and see if he was there, right? I sat down again on the edge of my chair and typed in my log in, lingering for a moment over the 'submit' button before finally clicking. As the page loaded, my chest tightened nervously. And sure enough, a pop-up in the bottom corner of the screen confirmed what I was both hoping for and dreading all at once...

_Grneyeddoc1981 is online_

Shrieking slightly, I closed the page again before it could send the same notification to him. I rested my elbows on my desk, rubbing my hands roughly over my face and into my hair. Just the sight of his screen name sent heat rushing through my body and igniting the throbbing between my legs; remembering the words from that morning. The same words that had been torturing me all day long, even though they had given me a mediocre release, at best. Obviously, I had it in me to talk dirty, since it came through the night before. But could I do it sober?

_7:10_

What the hell was I waiting for? At the very least, I owed him an explanation, that who he talked to was not truly me at all. And then there was that part of me that almost wanted to get online, to see if it would be anything like what it seemed the previous night, or if it would just be a repeat of that morning. In which case, I would just turn off my computer and delete my account at the earliest possible opportunity. But what if it truly was _that_ fantastic.

_The longer you wait, the less likely it is that he is going to be there. If he hasn't left already._

_7:12_

_He's gone; he has to be. Or at the very least, found some other horny woman. Why would any man wait around on someone he's never seen, never met... all to get off?_ It made absolutely no sense when there were probably thousands of desperate women out there, willing and ready, or he could jerk off to some porn.

_7:14_

"Fuck it," I grumbled to myself, opening up the website again and logging in before I could change my mind again. If he was there, great. If not, then no big loss, right? I could easily pleasure myself just as well before I passed out; I was certainly worked up enough by then after all the contemplation. My heart began to race as the notification appeared at the bottom of the screen again; _he's here_.

_What do I say? How does one begin these things? 'Hi there, you must be horny, too, so let's get off together?'_ A million possibilities ran through my mind in the short time that passed until I brought my fingers to the keys and began typing.

_BellaNova: Are you there?_

The anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach began to form, suddenly very nervous that he wouldn't be. I had given up trying to figure out why I felt that way, why it mattered whether the stranger had waited, and just decided to go with it. My eyes were flickering over the screen aimlessly, until finally, the ring came though.

_Grneyeddoc1981: Hi. Was beginning to think you weren't coming. _

I bit my lip and tapped my fingers lightly on the keys, contemplating my next statement. _It shouldn't be this complicated, Bella. Just let yourself go and type the first thing that comes to mind,_ I thought to myself and took a deep breath. But nothing came to my mind, and I was beginning to seriously regret logging on when the computer rang again.

_Grneyeddoc1981: Are you there?_

I smacked my forehead with my hand. Fuck, I was stalling, and _of course_, he would notice. It wouldn't take him long to realize that I was really not the hot, dirty talking girl he'd chatted with the previous night, and move along. And that would get me nowhere. I was aroused and seriously in need of release. I had to think of something witty and clever, something at least resembling the night before.

_BellaNova: Yes, sorry. I got... tied up ;)_

_Grneyeddoc1981: Mmm you were worth the wait. I've been looking forward to this all day._

"Shit!" I exclaimed, placing my hands over my face and groaned. He had been building this up all day to be a repeat performance, and I didn't know that I was that kind of person without alcohol. And _lots_ of it. How could I ever match up to those kinds of expectations? "Never know until you try."

After my brief mental pep talk, I began typing again.

"Me too. Are you still gonna..." I paused and backspaced before I could finish, and mentally scolded myself for being a chicken shit. I was making it all way harder than it needed to be; they were just words on a screen, right? "Just do it!"

_BellaNova: Me too. Are you still gonna keep your promise?_

_Grneyeddoc1981: Have every intention of it. I want to hear you screaming all the way in Chicago._

I was surprised to find my hips unconsciously rocking in my chair in response to his words. I actually wanted it more than I thought possible. I could feel my body responding to him already and as unnerving as it was, it sent a thrill of excitement through me that I'd never felt before as well.

_BellaNova: This is all I've thought about_

_Grneyeddoc1981: Fuck. You don't know how hard that makes me._

My eyes closed and I moaned softly, feeling the heat rush from my neck and down my chest until finally settling in my stomach. If someone seated right in front of me had said that, I would have thought he was a complete pervert and probably smacked him before walking away. Yet, seeing the words written there on the screen was even more enthralling than what I had experienced just that morning. Actually seeing 'Grneyeddoc1981 is typing' at the bottom of the screen, added yet another facet to the already complex experience for me. And I wanted more.

_BellaNova: Tell me._

_Grneyeddoc1981: I wish I could show you. I wish you were right here, spread open in front of me, your beautiful pink pussy wet and ready for me._

_Holy. Fuck._ I was actually beginning to see the appeal to it all. It was a freeing feeling to be able to say or do anything that was on your mind, or in your wildest, kinky desires. You could be completely unabashed and open, and who was going to judge you? And the person at the other end could be anything you wanted, anything you could possibly fantasize. Even the filthy things that were coming from his fingertips were more incredibly sexy and arousing than anything I had ever imagined.

I broke out of my musings, realizing that he was still waiting for a response, but what could I possibly reply to something like that, other than...

_BellaNova: Oh God._

_Grneyeddoc1981: Do you like that?_

_BellaNova: Yes. Tell me more._

I watched the screen, anxiously anticipating his response. My body was humming with arousal and I untied my robe, letting the fabric fall aside and feeling the cool breeze from the ceiling fan ghost over my heated skin.

_Grneyeddoc1981: I would run my hands up and down your thighs and watch as goose bumps spread across your skin. Where do you want my hands?_

I felt my face flame as I imagined everywhere I ached to be touched at that moment, and how difficult it was for me to put it into words.

_BellaNova: On me._

_Grneyeddoc1981: Where?_

_Just let go of all of your inhibitions and enjoy it, _I told myself, licking my lips and reclining more in my chair to position myself more comfortably.

_BellaNova: Inside of me._

_Grneyeddoc1981: Fuck. I bet you feel so good. And taste even better._

"Oh Jesus," I breathed out loud, my head falling back slightly and my muscles in my legs tightening in response. My hips thrust forward as my hand rose to my breast, massaging it gently and causing a soft moan to emit from my body.

_Grneyeddoc1981: Do you want me to taste you?_

_BellaNova: Yes_

_Grneyeddoc1981: Tell me. Tell me where you want my mouth._

_Jesus. _I could literally feel my heart pounding in my chest. _It's now or never._

_BellaNova: I want your mouth on my pussy._

_Grneyeddoc1981: That's my good girl. Imagine me between your legs, my hot breath against your skin, my tongue reaching out to taste you. I bet you're fucking delicious. _

I groaned again as my hand trailed down my body, causing it to shudder from the sensations raging inside me. I teased the skin along my inner thigh, reeling in how aroused I already was without even the slightest brush against where I needed it most... where I was envisioning _him_.

_Grneyeddoc1981: Are you touching yourself?_

_BellaNova: yes _

_Grneyeddoc1981: Good. Rub your fingers around your clit and imagine it's my tongue. Are you wet?_

My hand finally rested between my legs as I enacted the movements he had just described and I gasped sharply at the shock it sent through me. The lust I felt trumped anything I could ever recall feeling at any point in my life. No man had ever affected me that way and it was unnerving, but at the same time, invigorating.

_BellaNova: fuck yes_

_Grneyeddoc1981: Tell me how I feel._

_BellaNova: amazing_

_Grneyeddoc1981: Put your fingers in that wet pussy and tell me how I make you feel._

Just as I had that morning, I followed his words exactly and slid my fingers along my slick skin, groaning loudly as they entered me. My breaths were coming in pants as they moved deeper until my back arched when they filled me completely and my palm rested on my swollen clit, pressing firmly against it. I was so aroused that it almost felt as if I could orgasm right then from that slight touch. What the hell was he doing to me and why the fuck was I complaining? I began to type back to him with my free hand; I didn't want the feeling to stop.

_BellaNova: fuuuck you feel so fucking good_

_Grneyeddoc1981: Slide your fingers in and out. Tell me how wet you are._

_BellaNova: oh so wet_

_Grneyeddoc1981: Oh God. I wish I could see it. _

And at that moment, I truly wished he could, too. The thought of someone watching me right then was strangely erotic, but not just anyone.

_Him. _

The man on the screen bringing me to new heights of pleasure without the use of his own body or even his voice. My body began trembling as I curled my fingers inside of me, inching myself closer to release.

_Grneyeddoc1981: Are you close?_

_BellaNova: yes_

_Grneyeddoc1981: Imagine my tongue flicking your clit while I fuck you with my fingers_

_Grneyeddoc1981: Can you feel me? _

_BellaNova: Yes_

_Grneyeddoc1981: How close are you now?_

_BellaNova: so close. please. _

_Grneyeddoc1981: Flatten your palm over your clit and rub._

I breathed out shakily when the heel of my palm came in contact with the swollen skin once again and I rubbed firmly, building myself up to that peak. I almost refused to open my eyes again to look at the screen when I heard it ring again, but once I did, I couldn't regret it.

_Grneyeddoc1981: Move your hips, imagine you're fucking my face. I want you to come. I need you to come._

_BellaNova: oh God. I'm coming_

_Grneyeddoc1981: That's it. Come all over me, baby._

My entire body froze as the most intense orgasm I had ever experienced washed over me, my eyes rolling back and I screamed. I actually fucking _screamed_ while coming. Aftershocks raged through me with every touch as my hips thrust against my hand. And as I began coming back down, I was stunned speechless. It wasn't a fluke, it wasn't a one-time thing. And it certainly wasn't because I was drunk. It was something about the man himself and his words that got me so incredibly aroused, leaving me coming apart at the seams and then craving more. I had never been so eager for anything before, and yet, even as I was still coming down, I was anxious for the next time.

_Next time_? I asked myself, staring up at the ceiling. Would there be a next time_? Should _there be a next time? I listened to my pulse pounding in my ears and felt my body relaxing into my chair more. The satiation I was experiencing at that moment was indescribable, I would be insane not to want it again... but would he?

_BellaNova: You certainly don't disappoint, doc..._

_Grneyeddoc1981: Nor do you, BellaNova :)_

_BellaNova: Just Bella. My name is Bella._

I waited a moment for him to respond, unsure of whether he might find that too personal. Wasn't the appeal to the entire thing the anonymity, the unknown? What if it scared him off? Well, too late to take it back now.

_Grneyeddoc1981: Bella, huh? Didn't expand much for the screenname._

My eyes narrowed slightly and I pursed my lips, immediately beginning to type roughly on the keyboard.

_BellaNova: Oh and I'm guessing that you _don't_ have green eyes then? _

I drummed my fingers on the desk, waiting for his response and brought my other hand up to rest my chin upon it.

_Grneyeddoc1981: Touché. haha I'm Edward. _

My lips quirked into a small smile. _Edward._ An atypical name for an atypical man, and one with a sense of humor, as well. I wasn't sure what else to say to him at that point, but I also did not want him to leave, yet. _What if it's the last time I talk to him, the last time I feel anything like this?_ Simple... I just couldn't let that happen.

_BellaNova: Well, Edward... would you like to do this again?_

_Grneyeddoc1981: Say when._

I thought for a moment, pondering whether I could wait another twenty-four hours. _Damn Bella, what has gotten into you? When did you suddenly become a nympho?_

Since Grneyeddoc1981... _Edward... _entered my life.

_BellaNova: Now._


	3. Preoccupation

**Chapter 3 ~ Preoccupation**

_Grneyeddoc1981: Say when._

_BellaNova: Now._

I had to admit that I was _not_ expecting that, although I also couldn't say that I was entirely disappointed, either. With as much as I tried to think of anything I possibly could to quell the painful erection I'd been contending with all day long, the thought of a beautiful woman bringing herself to orgasm on my words alone was entirely counterproductive. And the fact that I had put off my own release because of her obvious discomfort at the beginning of our conversation had certainly not helped. It was almost as if I were talking to an entirely different woman from the night before. There was nothing timid or restrained about her then, and now, even though only through typed words, her unease came through in volumes. Her responses were delayed and far more conservative than the previous evening.

Gradually, she seemed to ease into it and hints of that vixen, BellaNova, the one I had been fantasizing about all day, slowly began to show through. The short, yet so fucking sexy responses started and I had to restrain myself from joining her. When she told me she was coming, my aching cock practically _begged_ me to join her. There was no image in the world as beautiful as a woman in the midst of orgasm. Parted lips, panting breaths, heaving breasts...

_Grneyeddoc1981: I'm up for it if you are, Bella ;)_

_Bella_. How could she be anything _but_ beautiful with a name like that? Then again, who cared? The advantage of the entire thing was that she could be anything I imagined, right? I closed my eyes for a moment as my mind began formulating the mental image of her it had begun last night, and it seemed to flow with my normal preferences; brunette with blue eyes, tall with long legs.

Everything that Tanya hadn't been.

With that image in my mind, my cock became impossibly harder; I needed release ... badly.

_BellaNova: Fuck me, Edward..._

I groaned loudly; for once, grateful for my empty apartment. Any question I had about her inhibitions from earlier was completely out the window. The vixen had returned.

_Grneyeddoc1981: I want that mouth first..._

_BellaNova: where exactly do you want it_

"Fuck," I hissed as my hand encircled my length; _this really won't take long_. I could already feel my balls tightening, and even more than release, I wanted the experience again. The night before had been the most erotic night of my life that I never wanted to end, and the thought of repeating it sent a thrill through me and I slowed the motion of my hand to prolong it.

_BellaNova: Tell me how it feels... Edward..._

I moaned softly as a shiver ran through my body at the sight of my name, something I never expected to feel in a setting such as that. It felt personal, and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but right then ... I didn't care.

_Grneyeddoc1981: god. so good._

_BellaNova: put your fingers in my hair. pull it._

_Grneyeddoc1981: Jesus. long hair? color?_

My hand slowly caressed the surface of my cock, stimulating me and keeping me aroused as I anxiously awaited her response. One more piece of the puzzle behind the amazing mystery woman. _Please say brown... __please_ _say brown, _I repeated over and over in my head as my eyes remained trained on the screen.

_BellaNova: Very long. It would graze my nipples while I rode you. and brown._

_Holy fuck! _Oh yes, my girl was back... and fuck me, she was a brunette! I was done for already and I had barely begun. My hand tightened slightly around my length and my head fell back against the chair as my motions increased. As I closed my eyes for a moment, I entertained the image of my hand running through that long dark hair as a pair of perfect lips created the beautiful friction driving me to ecstasy.

_Grneyeddoc1981: fuck. i wanna fuck your mouth_

_BellaNova: god, i know i shouldn't like that but... fuck thats hot _

_This woman is too fucking good to be true,_ I thought to myself. But then again, hadn't I already established that I was also someone completely different there with her than I was in the outside world? I never spoke to a woman that way, but I had also never encountered one like BellaNova ... Bella. Never been so insatiably aroused by anything, having had to go all day through work in that state... thank God for the white coats! Enough said.

My hips began thrusting reflexively into my hand again as they had the night before, envisioning that warm beautiful mouth taking me in over and over. I was so close, but I wanted to see more.

_Grneyeddoc1981:_ _you like me talking dirty to you? _

_BellaNova: yes...so much_

_Grneyeddoc1981: what does it do _

_BellaNova: it makes me so wet, my nipples hard_

_Grneyeddoc1981: fuck i want your pretty pink nipples in my mouth_

_BellaNova: god i want that too_

A string of expletives escaped my lips, as I knew that at any moment, I would come and it would

be over. At least, for that night.

_Just a little longer,_ I begged my body even though my motions never relinquished their efforts. _Please, just a little longer. _I knew I was reaching the end, however, but I wanted her to come, too. To share it with me again.

_Grneyeddoc1981: are you touching yourself, bella_

_BellaNova: yes. _

My breathing became more ragged and I felt the beads of sweat forming on my forehead; my release was imminent. _Fuck, _it was like nothing I had ever felt before and any thoughts that it had been something I wouldn't enjoy were completely gone. I was more turned on and enraptured by her than any woman I could physically see or touch; after only two nights.

Two nights.

_Fuck, what is this woman doing to me?_ I was Dr. Edward Cullen. Highly respected and a gentleman, and yet with her, I became a complete pervert.

And I fucking loved every minute of it.

_Grneyeddoc1981: get naked. right now _

_BellaNova: ok. you too._

I halted my motions, the prospect of drawing it out longer appealing to me even more. I lifted my hips completely off the chair and pushed my boxer briefs the remainder of the way down my thighs and they fell to my ankles as I whipped off my t-shirt. Settling back into the chair, I began typing again as my other hand returned to my cock.

_Grneyeddoc1981: i want to fuck you_

_BellaNova: do it_

_Grneyeddoc1981: sit in your chair with your legs open_

_BellaNova: ok_

_Grneyeddoc1981: pretend you're riding me, put your fingers inside you and bounce on my cock_

_BellaNova: god, you feel so good_

"Uhhhhhhh," I moaned audibly, reaching for the lube on my desk from the night before and squeezing some out on my tip. Tightening my grip slightly, I worked it down over my length until finally I released my grasp. Fisting my hand as she had instructed me the night before, I pressed myself inside slowly and my hips jerked again from the sensation. They began a rhythm of their own and the feeling was just as indescribable. If I closed my eyes, I could actually imagine... almost feel...

_Grneyeddoc1981: oh baby, i'm stroking my cock imagining its your pussy_

_BellaNova: i love when you talk like that_

_Grneyeddoc1981: just imagine me whispering it into your ear while i fuck you_

_BellaNova: i'm so close_

_Grneyeddoc1981: i want to come inside you_

_BellaNova: go. now. _

"Fuck. Me."

I cursed loudly just as my entire body tensed rigidly as I came, even harder than I had the night before. The intensity of the sensation caused my vision to blur slightly and my legs to ache from the tightening muscles. Breathing heavily, I slowly began to relax as my hand stilled on my softening cock and I leaned back further in my chair, staring up at the ceiling. After just two nights, it was already beginning to feel like an addiction. I remember scoffing at the idea that people could even become 'addicted' to online porn, but it was unlike anything I had ever heard. It was just one woman awakening things in me, bringing out a side of me that I had never known existed. And even more than that, bringing me the most intense pleasure I'd ever felt; and yet, I still knew so little about her.

_BellaNova: are you still there?_

I hadn't realized how long I'd sat there with my gaze locked on the ceiling above me until I heard the ring of her message. I looked down at the screen and sat up slightly to respond, hesitating momentarily before responding. Was she saying goodnight? Was I _ready_ to say goodnight? What was this fear that goodnight would actually mean goodbye? I barely knew her, but the answer was no; I wasn't ready to say goodnight. I typed out a brief message before heading for the bathroom to clean up quickly.

_Grneyeddoc1981:_ _yes. just catching my breath ;)_

_BellaNova: so I guess asking if it was good for you would be rather redundant?_

I came back to read her message and let out an actual laugh, something of which I had almost forgotten the feeling. Since when had life become so serious? When had I stopped enjoying the simple pleasure of just laughing? Why was she suddenly causing me to question every aspect of my life?

I didn't know, and I didn't care. For once, Edward Cullen was just going to enjoy the moment.

_Grneyeddoc1981: so damn good, Bella. what you do to me is indescribable. _

_BellaNova: you have no idea...I've never come like that before._

_Grneyeddoc1981: neither have I_

She didn't respond for an extended moment, and I was almost afraid that she was retreating back into that shell she had been in earlier that evening. Although completely worth the effort, it had taken a while to break her out of it and what was underneath was the most amazingly sexual creature I had ever imagined. To have that hidden away from the world, from me, would be a sin.

_Grneyeddoc1981: everything alright?_

_BellaNova: just catching my breath ;P ... so what kind of doctor are you?_

**x-x-x**

I walked into the ER the next morning with a yawn, masking it with the back of my hand. Even my shower that morning had not helped my state of fatigue, but I was far from complaining.

The conversation with Bella the night before – and the lack thereof at times, as well – had made the exhaustion completely worth it. Neither of us had been ready to step away, and took some time to talk in between our 'encounters'. I learned that she was twenty-two, originally from Washington and attending UCLA for architecture. Yet, the only physical description I was able to extract from her all night was the color of her hair. Not that it was overly important, and in fact, only heightened her appeal to me. She could still be anything I wanted her to be; with the added image that she was, in fact, a brunette.

"What's up, doc? You look like shit," Emmett commented as he looked up from a chart in his hand, but as I ran my hand through my hair, his smirk appeared. "_Oh_, the good doctor getting his groove on with another online minx?"

I rolled my eyes and walked past him toward the lounge without a word but naturally, he followed me, relentlessly badgering me with questions. Standing at the coffee pot, I began pouring one for myself and continued shaking my head. "Emmett, so that you don't continue to ask me throughout the day. Not another woman, the same one. I'm very tired, and have patients to attend to and a shit load of paperwork to do. And beyond that, I don't feel like discussing it. I don't broadcast my sex life, unlike _some_ around here."

"Well, that's _some_thing," Emmett grinned, nudging my arm and I rolled my eyes again in irritation. "At least you finally _have _some semblance of a sex life. That's an improvement. So come on, what's she like? Is she hot?"

"I'm not talking about this," I replied in an annoyed tone as I passed by him, taking a sip of my coffee and walking down the hall toward my office. The last thing I wanted to discuss at that moment was Bella. Even just thinking about her sent a shock wave to parts of my body that I would've much rather remained forgotten during work hours. I needed to keep a clear head; focus.

But as I was grabbing my stethoscope and my white coat, I noticed Emmett was blocking the doorway. His arms folded over his chest and his smirk still in place, I knew I wasn't getting out of there until I told him something.

"Look, Emmett, I don't know that much about her. I haven't seen her, I haven't talked to her. I have merely typed some words on a screen to her. End of discussion," I said, leveling him with a gaze to make it clear that I was not elaborating any further.

"Oh, you're killing me here, Edward," Emmett groaned, tilting his head back as I squeezed through the small space between him and the doorframe, into the hallway. "Let _me _live vicariously through _you _for a change!"

I smiled and nodded at the nurse in triage as she handed me a chart, Emmett still hot on my heels. I continued walking down the hall, reading it over and speaking in a bored tone. "As if I have _ever _lived vicariously through you, Emmett. I would prefer to _not_ require a database to keep track of the names of my bed partners, thank you."

"Come on, if you're not gonna talk about it here, at least come out with me for a beer after work. It won't kill ya to be a normal guy for an hour," he huffed slightly as we stopped outside the patient's room.

I pinched the bridge of my nose in an attempt to rein in my urge to snap. My overtired state and Emmett's persistence were not a good combination, but I knew he would not relent until I agreed. "Fine, one beer. Now, will you please let me get to work?"

He gave a small fist pump before walking away victoriously, and I entered the room in front of me. I went through the motions of questions and quick examination...

But my mind was far from that room.

Even just the vague mention of Bella had stirred the desire coursing through my body. I really didn't care to go out for a beer after work. All I wanted to do was go home, maybe take a nap, and then hope for her to log on. After the previous night, there was nowhere else I'd rather be.

Aside from the raw sexiness of her while we were 'pleasuring each other', I had also discovered an intelligent, funny and fascinating woman underneath. And I was anxious to learn more.

A false labor, a case of appendicitis, and a broken leg later, I was back in my office. Sinking into my chair, I rubbed my hands over my face roughly in an attempt to wake myself up a little more. I sat up and wiggled the mouse to bring the screen in front of me to life, deciding I should probably check my email before I delved into work.

After sending a couple of work-related emails to the printer, my eyes met an unfamiliar address.

My lips turned up at the corners. _Bella. _And then, my gaze met the subject.

_Aching for you..._

My head hit the back of my chair and I released an involuntary groan as my already semi-erect cock began to throb and harden all the more_. _

_Shit_. _There's was no way I'm getting through another day like this and hope to get anything accomplished._

Before even attempting to open the email, I pushed up out of my chair, made my way across the room to lock the door, and then drew the blinds behind my desk before sitting back down. I inhaled and let it out slowly, finally bringing my hand to rest on the mouse and click the left button.

_Edward,_

_I got your email off your profile, hope you don't mind. I woke up this morning for work, completely exhausted. But it was definitely worth it. You want to meet again tonight, same time? It's only been a few hours, and just thinking about you is already making me so ... anxious, I have no idea how I am going to make it through work today. _

_And I was thinking. Do you have a mic on your computer? Typing one handed is a little awkward, and it might be easier if we just speak to each other instead and concentrated our hands on other things. Love to see if your voice is as effective as your typing ;) Let me know. _

_I'll be wet and waiting at 9. _

_Bella_

_Ho-ly. Fuck._ If I hadn't already been suffering from an almost painful erection before, I certainly would have been then. She wanted to hear my voice? And if I agreed, I would be hearing hers? The thought of actually vocalizing those things to her sent an unexpected thrill of excitement through me. Not only had I never spoken that way to a woman before her, I had never had any inclination to, either; with her, I wanted to. I _needed_ to.

A realization crossed my mind at that moment, as well. Hearing her voice would make her that much more real.

Yet, that thought was not entirely unappealing. It would also make it easier to imagine her in front of me. I could close my eyes and imagine her standing there, lowering herself onto me, riding me...

_Fuck, that would be second only to meeting her face to face_, I thought as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat at that prospect. To actually see and feel her lips around me, to weave my fingers into that long brown hair, to hear her moan my name and feel the vibrations of her body against me.

I was now throbbing against the confines of my pants at the images racing through my mind. I couldn't take it anymore. Before I could think twice, my belt was unfastened and my pants were undone. I closed my eyes and leaned back, envisioning her there with me as I began stroking my cock. Sighing deeply, I let myself forget everything else but the image of her face that my mind had created. I let all she had said to me the night before replay, imagining her whispering those words into my ear as she kissed along my neck. The sensation of her bare breasts against my chest, the feeling of her fingers gripping my shoulders as she raised and lowered herself over me.

Never had I fantasized about a woman to that extent, nor had one incited such intense arousal in me that I could almost feel her. As I tightened my grip, I held my breath to suppress a groan as my release edged closer at an alarming rate. The feeling was indescribable.

I imagined the way it would feel as she enveloped me; the sounds she would make, and the way it would feel when she came around my cock. And with that thought, I gripped the arm of my chair with my free hand as an intense orgasm took hold of me. My chest heaved, exhaling a shuddered breath as I came and then finally collapsed further into the seat once it subsided.

What was she doing to me? I'd had three orgasms the night before with her and not even five hours later, I was needing release again like a teenage boy. And yet, my desire was still not quenched, the need to be back home greater; at my computer, in my chair, talking to her ... hearing her voice...

Hitting the reply button, I quickly typed my response.

_Bella,_

_I'll be there. Mic on._

_Edward_

Hitting send, I stood from my chair, removing my shirt and tie to replace it with a scrub shirt.

_This is going to be another very long day._

**x-x-x**

Walking into the bar that evening with Emmett, I watched his face from the corner of my eye as he was visibly restraining his assault of questions. After ordering our beers, we settled into a booth in the back where he continued staring at me expectantly, as I took a sip from my glass.

He groaned loudly as he rubbed his hands over his face roughly. "Oh, come on, Ed. You're really killing me here! What's it like? What's _she_ like? Give me _something_."

"First of all," I started, lighting a cigarette, half to annoy him and half because I _really_ needed it after a day like that. "Don't call me that. And second, what do you want to know? _You're _the one who sent me to that site in the first place, Emmett."

Emmett waved his hand in front of his face and glared at me. "You know, for a doctor, you're not very health conscious," he chastised me and I raised my hand to flip him off. It was not the first time that we'd had that discussion, and he'd learned to laugh it off; the emergency room not exactly being the most stress-free of environments. "And just because I sent _you_ there doesn't mean I've actually gone there _myself_."

"Fucking hell, man. Are you serious?" I groaned in irritation, running my free hand through my hair.

"Up until recently, I had the real thing. Never needed anything like that," he shrugged nonchalantly and then leaned forward on the table, pointing at me. "Now _you, _on the other hand."

"Then how the hell..." I paused mid-statement, shaking my head.

"One of the guys handed it to me one night for you on one of the many nights you refused to come out with us," Emmett replied pointedly, his eyebrow raised. "See, I'm not the _only_ one who's suffering from your lack of action. So now, come on. Spill."

"You're worse than a woman, Emmett. Seriously," I muttered, rolling my eyes only for him to fold his arms on the table, unrelenting. "There's not much to 'spill'. We log on, I get mine, she gets hers, and that's about it."

"Yeah, and that's why you walked in this morning looking the way you did, right? Dr. Prim and Proper, waltzing in the door like he just rolled out of bed," Emmett retorted, pursing his lips in disbelief. "So, are you gonna keep talking to her? Or maybe get out there in the real world with some real women?"

"She _is_ a real woman," I growled unintentionally, narrowing my eyes and he held his hands up defensively. "And yes, I am actually heading home after this to do just that."

Emmett's eyes widened. "Again?" he exclaimed and my jaw tensed as I glared at him after the passing waitress raised an eyebrow at us. "Sorry. But I mean, you came in looking pretty rough this morning, don't you think you could use a break? It's been a long time for you, ya know. Not to mention ... aren't you worried about ... _chaffing_?"

"Conversation over," I said flatly in annoyance, snubbing out my cigarette and grabbing my jacket from beside me. I stood from the booth, tossing the money on the table and began walking toward the door despite his protests. "Goodnight, Emmett."

The drive home was short, yet I still couldn't seem to get there fast enough. It was only seven, two hours to go, and already, I could feel myself hardening in anticipation. No matter what Emmett thought, I didn't need anything more than what I shared with her. With nothing expected of me except to be online at a certain time. And even the following week when I was on call, I had nothing to explain, no feelings to attempt to soothe, no promises to 'make it up' to anyone.

Tossing my keys and jacket aside as I walked in, I pulled the scrub shirt over my head and tossed it in the bathroom as I passed. I yawned on my way to the kitchen and decided on an espresso over another beer, wanting to keep myself awake for as long as possible.

While it brewed, I changed into a pair of jeans and went about making a quick frozen dinner. Settling in front of my computer, I checked my email as I took the first bite and smirked as I saw the most recent.

___ Re: Aching for you _

_Edward,_

_Got out of work early, and you have no idea how anxious I am for you to get home. Been thinking about you all day, and looking forward to hearing you tonight. _

_Hurry home,_

_Bella_

_She's home_, I thought as a smile spread across my lips, the possibility of talking to her sooner triggering an excitement deep inside me. Setting my fork down on the plastic container, I began typing my reply to her.

_Bella,_

_Just got home from work, and just as anxious. Want to meet up sooner?_

_Edward_

Before I could finish another bite, my computer signaled a new message and I glanced up, feeling the tug at my lips again.

_Is now good for you?_

_Bella_

Finally deciding to set my meal aside, no longer hungry for food, I opened up my browser and clicked the link that I had placed in my Favorites the night before. Signing in, the alert to Bella's presence online appeared and I immediately opened a new chat window.

_Grneyeddoc1981: Now is as good a time as any ;)_

_BellaNova: Are you ready? _

Grabbing the headset I used for my patient notes, I set them on my head and adjusted the mic in front of my mouth.

_Grneyeddoc1981: Ready when you are_

A second later, a message window popped up on my screen that I had an incoming call from 'BellaNova'. Taking a deep breath, I clicked accept and waited a moment, hearing only the silent hum of the line between us.

"Bella?"

I heard a soft intake of breath and a moment of silence, followed by a soft sigh and the most beautiful voice I had ever heard. "Hello, Edward."


	4. Need

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but these characters are SO much fun to torment ;)**

**Chapter 4 ~ Need**

**BPOV**

When I woke up around eight the next morning, my body was aching; yet, not in the way I would have thought with my activities the night before. After bringing myself to orgasm four times from Edward's words, it should have been only natural that my skin be a little tender. It had received more attention—and vigorous at that—in the past couple of days than it had in months. And now, my neglected body craved more. More touch, more pleasure...

More of _him_.

No man had ever aroused me to the point of being insatiable, but he had. From the moment we both stumbled into that chat room two nights before, despite my nervous and _sober_ state previous night, he had awakened a side of me that had been dormant for so long and _never _as exhilarated. Even when he regretfully told me that he had to get a little bit of sleep before having to work and hold people's lives in his hands in a few hours, even briefly joking about his 'hand-hand coordination' beginning to falter, I could still feel myself throbbing with need. As I slid between my sheets and lay there staring into the darkness, the pulsing between my legs never subsided and I slid my shorts down my legs.

When my fingers grazed the warm skin, my hips jolted from the mattress beneath me and I groaned from the sensitivity, but it was far from unpleasant. I rubbed my fingers briskly over my clit, thinking of him and his words.

Those words. My mind knew that they should have offended me, and I'd even said as much to him the night before. Yet, the only reaction they drew from me was exhilaration. The raw need behind them matched my own, the only evidence of the effect I was having on him. Wanting my mouth on him, wanting to 'fuck me until I saw double' as he had said during one of our multiple sessions only hours before.

I felt my thighs begin to tremble and the rush of heat flooding through my body, bracing myself for the onslaught.

"Damn it!" I exclaimed in frustration as I came, but without the same intensity and force as the previous four that night.

And because of that, I had woken up still in this state of almost painful arousal.

I got up and showered, taking advantage of the removable showerhead... lackluster...

Dug my bullet out of my bedside table... couldn't quite get there and was going to be late for work.

Granted, it was only a part-time job to help with the bills, but I couldn't be late again. Losing my job would mean losing the comfort buffer that it supplied me as well. Besides the fact that I loved my job at the small coffee shop just off campus, few other jobs afforded me the luxury of the internet on my breaks to do homework or shoot off an occasional email to my parents in Washington.

The coffee shop was dead for a Saturday when I arrived, and after wiping down the tables from the breakfast rush, I found myself in the back corner booth with my laptop. With midterms coming up, Mike and I alternated between covering the counter and studying as much as we possibly could.

Staring blankly at the screen that currently displayed the first two paragraphs of my four-page Psychology essay that was due the following Friday, I found that the furthest thing from my mind was homework, or my parents, or _anything _besides the ache and the man who caused it as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat to cross my legs.

Something is better than nothing, right? _Wrong!_

I bit my lip to restrain the moan at the slightest friction caused by that movement and I knew there was only one thing I could do at that moment, even if I _was _at work. My eyes darted around the nearly empty coffee shop and then to Mike at the counter. Turning again in my seat, placing my laptop on my thighs as my back leaned against the wall, I opened my browser and clicked the history link. While I waited for the page to load, I swiveled my wrist to work out the kinks from the one handed typing from the past couple of nights, and a small smile tugged at my lips.

As soon as I located his profile, I immediately copied the email address from his information and pasted it into a blank message. I needed him again tonight, no matter how obsessive it was becoming.

_Edward,_

_I got your email off your profile, hope you don't mind. I woke up this morning for work, completely exhausted. But it was definitely worth it. You want to meet again tonight, same time? It's only been a few hours, and just thinking about you is already making me so... anxious, I have no idea how I am going to make it through work today. _

_And I was thinking. Do you have a mic on your computer? Typing one handed is a little awkward, and it might be easier if we just speak to each other instead and concentrated our hands on other things. Love to see if your voice is as effective as your typing ;) Let me know. _

_I'll be wet and waiting at 9. _

_Bella_

I hit send before I could change my mind and rested my head back against the wall. Biting my nail lightly, I clicked the send/receive button obsessively for several minutes, waiting for his reply and began to wonder if maybe I had gone a little too far. Not even allowing the thought to pass through my mind that he would still be at work, I was dreading the thought of never hearing from him or experiencing the effect he had on my body again. Losing the side of myself that only he had been able to draw out of me.

"Hi Bella," a soft voice broke me out of my thoughts and I looked up in time to see Alice settling in the seat opposite me with a grin that I knew all too well.

She had something up her sleeve.

"Whatever it is that's going on tonight, not happening," I said quickly, returning my eyes to my screen and clicking the button one more time to no avail. "I have this paper to get done, and I don't have time to go out."

"Bella, you _never _go out," Alice whined slightly, leaning forward on the table.

"I happen to recall going out just two days ago, and dragging through class yesterday with a hangover. Not my idea of fun, Alice," I grumbled in a monotone voice, still not meeting her gaze again as my body began stirring more with the memory of what that night had incited.

"You seemed to find Eric _quite _entertaining that night," she replied with a giggle and a wink, finally causing me to snap my gaze over to meet hers. "I seriously thought that we were going to be finding you in a dark corner somewhere when it came time to leave."

My eyes widened and I felt my face flush. Was _that_ what caused me to go online in the state that I was apparently in? And with Eric Yorkie? _Really_? I began aimlessly tapping my fingers on the keys of my laptop, and shook my head. "All the more reason for me to bow out of this one, Alice. I definitely have more important things on my mind."

"Like?" she urged me to continue and I was sure the color flooding my cheeks was certainly no deterrent for her. "You have almost a week to finish that paper, and you could have that done in a night. Come on, it'll be fun. Live a little, Bella."

I sighed heavily, and once again, clicked the button on my email, and a nervous flutter rippled through my stomach as I clicked the incoming message with his name on it.

_I'll be there. Mic on._

I fought the smile tugging at my lips, unwilling to give myself away and quickly tabbed to my essay again.

"I can't tonight, Alice. I have something I need to do," I replied and closed my laptop to put it back in my bag. "Maybe next weekend we can do something."

She rolled her eyes and grabbed her purse off the table. "And that gives you one more week to think of yet another excuse. How are you _ever_ supposed to meet anyone if you never go out?"

I shrugged non-chalantly and slid across the seat. "Who says I _need _to meet anyone? I'm perfectly content the way I am."

She eyed me suspiciously and shook her head. "If you say so, Bella. I still think you could benefit immensely from a little tension relief. It's not getting any better, you know."

"I'm doing just fine all by myself. You go have some fun without me," I replied and waved as she stood and began making her way to the door. She looked back at me before she walked out with her hand to her ear and mouthing 'call me'.

"Okay, your turn, Mike," I said as I set my bag behind the counter and took his place at the register. He smiled gratefully and disappeared into the back room as I began taking the orders of an elderly couple who'd just entered.

My thoughts, however, were still completely on Edward. I had no idea how I was ever going to explain my nightly activities to my friends, my new reason for the lack of desire to leave my apartment. But it definitely wasn't something I wanted to see end anytime soon. The night before was the most alive I had felt in as long as I could remember, even without the sexual aspect. Just sitting there talking to him had felt so comforting, and I never once got the impression that he wasn't paying attention to every word I was saying. And with the added prospect of hearing his voice that night, it filled me with such a nervous excitement; it was the first thing I had actually looked forward to in so long.

The draw and connection I felt to him was surreal, as if it shouldn't exist. Maybe that was the instigator behind my forward request to actually _talk _to him, to make him more real. I hadn't realized before that email that I actually _wanted _him to be real. There was no underlying cause for him to associate with me. He couldn't see me, so there was nothing physical drawing him to me. The only thing concerning me about the evening was that once I heard his voice and he heard mine, my nerve would falter and he would realize how inexperienced at everything I really was.

He had told me the night before that he'd never done anything like that in the past, and while I had no reason not to believe him, I found it astonishing. He seemed so confident and knowledgeable on how to arouse a woman with merely words; I still couldn't understand how he was not taken.

_Oh my god!_ I thought suddenly and froze in place, feeling the color drain from my face completely.

What if he _was _taken and it was his way of getting some 'on the side'? Anyone could type anything on a website without an ounce of truth in it. Thinking back to his profile and all the ridiculous things he had put there… why would his marital status necessarily be any different?

I felt my fists clenching at my sides at the thought. How would I feel if that was _my _boyfriend or husband, and some 'skank' online was giving him his pleasures?

And then, another thought struck me. What taken man would share his name _and_ email address, connected with a major university hospital, and also be able to spend all night at a computer with another woman? And in addition, to be so willing to allow said woman to hear him and his surroundings, without even hesitating.

"Hey, Bells?" I shrieked as Mike came up behind me and held his hands up until I let out my breath with an embarrassed laugh. "You seem really on edge today. Are you all right?"

"Oh yeah, sorry. Just have a lot on my mind and didn't sleep well last night."

_Well, if __that_ _isn't the understatement of the century, I don't know what is_, I thought to myself and Mike's raised eyebrow didn't help at all.

"Well, if you need to cut out early today, Ang is coming in at two and I can cover the rest of your shift," Mike said with his hand resting on my shoulder and I shifted somewhat uncomfortably under his touch, which I had never done before.

Maybe it _would_ be a good idea for me to take off early and collect myself. Sort out my head and think about what was happening to me. How a man I would never meet could take over so much of my life and my every day interactions. But I could also get home earlier and have a chance of maybe catching him sooner if he was around.

_God, did I need help._

"Actually, that would be great, Mike. I have this essay due, and I really need some sleep," I replied in soft tone, looking down at the floor.

When Angela arrived at two, I quickly finished my tasks and cashed out, telling Mike I owed him one and running out to my car. The closer I came to my apartment, the more the excitement settled in over the nervous musings from earlier.

Dropping my bag in my chair upon my arrival, I hurried through my apartment to quickly shower and then set my laptop back on my desk, settling into my chair in nothing more than a fitted nightshirt. I typed up a quick email to him and looked down at the clock. It was four, which would make it only six his time. Would he be home yet? Would he even think to check his email before nine? He _had _to be exhausted after the previous night and a full day at the hospital.

I was too anxious to think about any of that anymore, and typed a quick '_hurry home'_ at the end and sent it off.

As the next hour slowly ticked by, my curiosity began to rise along with the anxious arousal just at the thought of him. I opened my browser and typed in the name 'Edward Cullen', having seen it in the signature of his email. Clicking search, the very first result appeared with a link to University of Chicago Medical Center. My cursor lingered over the link as I debated.

Did I _want _to know any more about him that I already did? Would there be a photo there? And if it did, would I want to see it? Would it disrupt my own perception of him in my mind?

'Chicago native becomes youngest Chief Resident in history of prestigious medical center' was listed under the link and I quickly clicked the red 'x' in the corner of the screen.

What would an obviously intelligent and successful man be doing on a site like that, much less associate with an ordinary college student like me? That thought made me sure that the less information I had about him, the better it was for my sanity. Even after only two days, I didn't want to lose what I shared with him. I wanted to enjoy it while it lasted without adding any more doubt to my fragile frame of mind.

I started to distract myself with a game of solitaire when the email notice popped up in my taskbar, and I practically leapt from my seat to open it.

_Edward Cullen._

I bit my lip and clicked it, giggling as I read the contents.

_Just got home from work, and just as anxious. Want to meet up sooner?_

_Edward_

I instantly hit reply and my fingers flew over the keys, asking if right then was good and opening my browser again to log onto the site. The notification popped up in the lower corner of the screen that he was online and I took in a shaky breath as my nervous fingers ghosted over my touchpad to open a chat screen.

But he beat me to it.

_Grneyeddoc1981: Now is as good a time as any ;)_

My heart began racing and my hands shook slightly as I read the message from him, and I took a deep breath. Preparing myself for anything, I placed my buds in my ears and brought my fingers to the keys.

_BellaNova: Are you ready? _

_Grneyeddoc1981: Ready when you are_

"It's now or never, Bella," I said out loud and closed my eyes, clicking the green button that I'd hovered my cursor over a moment before and held my breath.

We both remained silent for several moments, the only audible sound from the other end being his soft breathing.

"Bella?" his voice came through and my breath hitched in a sharp gasp. Not only did he not sound like some perverted old man, but his tone was gentle and masculine... and god, so sexy. I was mentally thanking myself at that moment for not going onto that site earlier to see what he looked like. With a voice like that, I could imagine him as a perfect Adonis, never even having to entertain the idea that I might've been talking to a fifty year old man who just happened to have a beautiful voice.

"Hello, Edward," I replied with a soft sigh, feeling more nerves beginning to creep up on me.

_Great idea, Bella. Now he's going to realize just how socially retarded you are and never want to do this with you again. _

With that idea startling me slightly, along with the soft intake of breath from his side of the line, I licked my dry lips and began talking.

"So..."

"I..."

We both chuckled softly as we spoke at the same time, and I felt a shiver run through my body at the deep and soft tone of his voice. All man, and yet, so soothing.

"Ladies first," he said with a smile audible in his voice.

"This is uh... _very_ different," I replied, so eager to hear him speak again and already feeling the tightness in the pit of my stomach from anticipation.

"It is, but better, I think," his voice came through and my fingers gripped my bare thigh as my hips shifted in my chair.

"That it is. Now we can put our concentration where it belongs."

"And where would that be? I think I need to refresh my memory," he teased, though I could hear his voice begin to deepen more.

I felt a smile tugging at my lips and I let out a dramatic sigh. "Well, I must not be doing a very good job, then. Guess I'll just have to try harder."

Then. the sound I hadn't realized I had been waiting for filtered through my earbuds and my hand involuntarily moved to massage my breast_. He moaned_.

"Fuck, if you tried any harder ..." he trailed off, his breaths becoming heavier into the microphone. "Tell me what you're wearing, Bella."

"Tight little t-shirt ... and that's about it. What about you?"

"Just a pair of scrubs. Long day at the hospital," he replied, and that time, it was my turn to moan softly. _Guess I really _do _like scrubs._ All I would have to do is pull that tie and... "Wait? No panties?"

I smirked as my free hand trailed down along my inner thigh. "Pointless piece of fabric, if you ask me, since they spend most of the time on the floor."

"Oh, God," he groaned again and the sound of it reverberated through my body as if he were there against me. "Are you wet, Bella?"

"Mmm very. I've been waiting all day for this, thinking about last night. Couldn't get enough," I replied in a tone I barely recognized as my own, subconsciously attempting to coax yet another reaction from him. It felt as if my entire body was aching for it as my fingers trailed lightly across my over-sensitive skin.

I heard his body shifting in his chair as the sound of the creaking leather came from his end. "You have no idea what you're doing to me."

"Why don't you tell me?"

"Shit, I am so fucking hard. Fuck, Bella."

I bit my lip, listening to his breathy moans almost whisper my name and rolling my nipple beneath the fabric of my shirt between my fingertips while my other hand lightly brushed the sensitive skin between my legs. "Do you have a fantasy, Edward?"

"Besides you riding me? Yes," his immediate answer came through, his voice growing gruffer by the second, his arousal evident in his voice.

"Yes, besides burying your cock deep inside of me... what is it?" I replied, closing my eyes and losing myself to the moment. I had always thought myself too shy to be so brazen with a man, ever; and yet with him, it was easy. Effortless. And judging from the sounds emanating from him, arousing us both equally.

"Fuck. My tongue driving you to oblivion on my exam table," he nearly growled and the image flew into my mind, my fingers moving more briskly over my skin as I envisioned my body spread over the table. My hands weaving into his hair as his mouth brought me to extraordinary heights.

"Oh. Fuck. Me," I panted, involuntarily arching my back as my fingertips moved lower.

"We'll get to that, Bella. First, I need to hear one of _your _fantasies."

I could hear his smirk reappear as he spoke and I tugged my lip gently with my teeth. What had I just gotten myself into? I really wasn't all that imaginative. "My fantasy? It's pretty lame but outside, on a car ... in public where we could be caught at any time. "

"Oh God. Fuck, I can just see your hair spread out over the hood of my Aston," he said, his voice lowering again and his breaths coming more quickly.

_He owns a fucking Aston! _I wasn't much of a 'car girl', but imagining him behind the wheel of a vehicle like that made me see him in a whole new light. "God, I wish you could feel how wet just the thought of that made me."

"I'd be taking everything you have to offer," he replied huskily, his voice causing a tremor to run through my body.

"Fuck, I would give anything to feel that right now," I panted, teasing the skin surrounding my clit lightly with my fingertips.

"Mmm," he hummed and I heard him shifting in his seat. I closed my eyes, imagining him loosening his scrub pants and pushing them down over his hips. "I can just imagine how amazing you taste."

I smirked as if he were actually there to see it and licked my lips. "Would you like me to find out for you?"

"Fuck yes," he groaned deeply and I shivered. The way he sounded when he cursed was so fucking sexy and arousing. "Take one of your fingers and touch yourself, baby."

I uncaringly moaned loudly as he whispered 'baby' and my fingers moved of their own volition, and slid inside me. Though I had heard several of Alice's past boyfriends call her that, I'd never had any desire to hear it myself.

Yet again, Edward had broken every rule and made it sound almost intimate, even in the current setting. I gasped sharply as I nearly came with the first thrust of my hand.

"God, so good"

"I need you to stop for a moment. Taste yourself."

"You're such a tease," I groaned, wanting nothing more than to continue my ministrations. I had never actually tasted myself firsthand that way, only on someone's lips after the fact. Yet, the thought aroused me, compelling me to comply with his request rather than simply playing the part. I brought my fingers to my lips, swirled my tongue around the tips before enclosing them in my mouth, and hummed contentedly. "Better than candy."

A loud, clearly audible moan escaped him and his breaths quickened more. "God, I want my mouth on you. Would you like that, Bella?"

"Fuck yes ... please," I replied, pinching my clit lightly between my index and middle finger, rolling it between them and imagining his soft lips on me in their place.

"So good. You taste like ambrosia. I want to bury my fingers, tongue and cock deep inside you," he spoke barely above a whisper, the height of his arousal evident in his voice.

Returning my hand to its previous endeavor, I resumed slow, deep thrusts with my fingers. My body convulsed slightly with each movement and I longed for his voice again, even though it had only been moments since I'd heard it last. "I want you. Hard. Now. I want to ride you until _you_ forget _your_ name."

"Oh God, Bella. Yes. So fucking tight and warm."

Our moans filled the air on either side of the line. "Clenching around you, taking you deep inside me."

"Balls deep, so fucking good," he breathed, our statements becoming shorter and more urgent as we worked each other closer to release. "Feel that? Hitting that spot deep inside you?"

"Oh god, yes. More, please."

"The sound our skin against each other. Pounding into you."

"Something like this?" I moaned and my hand began thrusting hard and fast against me, my palm striking my clit with every pass. The only sound from his side was a deep growl of a string of profanities, and the hint of his hand moving rapidly over his cock. _Damn_, why was that image so fucking hot in my head? His head pressing back against the seat of his chair, his eyes closed, and his lips slightly parted with his shuddering breaths as his fingers moved over his glorious length. Thank God I still had my own image of him in my head rather than succumbing to the urge to hunt down a picture of him earlier. He could still be perfect in my mind that way. "Fuck, Edward! Coming ... now ... Shit!"

"Let it go, baby. I'm not done with you, yet," he replied in a gravelly voice, and I cried out as I came with even more intensity than I had the night before. My thighs were still trembling as it slowly subsided, my hand still causing my back to arch as it continued to graze against my sensitive, swollen skin.

"God, Edward," I breathed out heavily with a shiver, swallowing hard in an attempt to steady myself.

"You all right over there?" he asked softly after another silent moment.

"Oh yeah," I replied enthusiastically with a soft chuckle. "This sure beats the hell out of typing."

He laughed softly, but his breaths were still uneven, reminding me that he still had not gotten his release, to my knowledge. _Fuck, talk about stamina_, I thought to myself. _Either that, or I really need to build up my tolerance_. "I'd have to agree with you there. I've never been so hard in my life."

"How about I taste myself on _you_ this time?" I whispered in a soft, sultry voice and a low '_fuck_' escaped his lips.

**x-x-x**

After Edward finally released—as did I, one more time—we reluctantly said goodnight, logging off to get some much-needed sleep from our late night the evening before. But not before we both came to the conclusion with each other that this was something that neither of us wanted to give up, confessing that no one else had ever made us feel that way. And with that knowledge— that I wasn't alone in that—I fell into a deep, peaceful sleep that night.

So, when he told me the following night that he could not guarantee that he would be on for the next week, having to spend a majority of it at the hospital on call, the sense of loss I felt was both deep and startling at the same time. Yet, it eased some by the same sound of longing in his voice as he told me that he would also miss our nights together.

Even still, I was surprised when he asked me, with a slight hesitance in his voice, for my phone number, so he could at least text me, if he got a chance. And what was even more shocking was my _lack _of hesitance in giving it to him.

For three days, I waited. Periodically checking my phone for any word from him, earning me several questioning looks from Alice and Rose. I was never one to cling obsessively to my phone for anything, so it more than warranted their curiosity.

_How can I explain this to them? Do I even want to?_

The answer was unequivocally _no_.

Besides being unsure of how they would react to their 'sweet little Bella' engaging in something as out of character for me as my actions were, I found myself unwilling to share, as well.

My time with Edward was something that was unarguably mine, and so was he for the few hours we shared together.

_Mine_, and no one else's.

On Wednesday afternoon, I was sitting in the coffee shop on break, with still no word from Edward, and I began to feel anxious. Had the time away from me changed his mind? Or was he simply able to distract himself in a way that I had found myself _in_capable?

Running my hand briskly through my hair and leaning forward with my elbows on the table, I selected his contact information and quickly typed out a message to him.

_Forget me yet? ~B_

I occupied myself by distractedly stirring my latte with the straw, my hands shaking uncontrollably. _Is it possible to go through withdrawals from this kind of thing? Am I becoming an addict?_

The ring from my phone signaling a new text message arriving pulled me from my ridiculous musings and I jumped to look at it.

_Never, beautiful. Been hell here all week. Just woke up for a little nap. ~E_

I smiled slightly at the endearment, causing a pleasurable shiver down my spine. Then, I smacked my forehead as I realized that I had probably just woken him for the few moments of sleep he'd most likely had in days. Guilt raged through me at my selfish need depriving him of the rest he obviously needed so badly.

_Shit I'm sorry. Go back to sleep. I'll ttyl. ~B_

I sighed, shoving my phone into my pocket and tying back my hair again to return to work. As I was washing my hands to relieve Mike from the counter for his break, my phone chimed again and I retrieved it, selecting the message.

_Don't be sorry. Was already awake. Going back on floor. Text you when I get the chance. ~E_

A wave of relief passed through me and I turned to the register with a renewed smile on my face.

My entire shift passed with nothing more from Edward, but I was far less antsy about it. Constantly reminding myself of all the episodes of _ER _I had watched, while I knew it probably paled in comparison to reality, helped to keep my earlier fears at bay.

As I was locking up for the night, I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket. Walking to my car, I pulled it out and looked down to his new message.

_You asleep? ~E_

I settled into my seat and typed out a reply before fully entering the car.

_Nope. Just got off my shift. ~B_

Almost instantly, my phone began to vibrate again as I was just turning the key in the ignition. I looked down to my phone, finding the screen lit up and the butterflies erupted in my stomach. It was no text message.

He was _calling_ me.

"Hello?" I answered tentatively into the phone.

"Hey, I only have a few minutes. Just stepped outside, and wanted to hear your voice," he replied as he exhaled heavily.

"Smoke break?" I asked, knowing that sound anywhere from the numerous phone conversations with Rosalie.

"Yeah, filthy habit, I know. And I'm a doctor, I should know better. I've heard them all, trust me," he said with a slight chuckle that held no amusement.

"Doesn't bother me. I did the same in high school," I reassured him, wanting to erase the nervous tone in his voice. Needing to hear _my _Edward. "Busy tonight?"

He groaned exasperatedly, far different from anything I'd heard from him a few nights before. "You have no idea, Bella. I know this sounds a little creepy, but your texts were the one thing that's kept me sane all night."

I felt my chest swell unexpectedly in excitement, and a soft sigh escaped my lips. "Not creepy at all. Yours have been doing the same for me. I've sort of missed hearing from you every night."

"We'll just have to make up for lost time Sunday night, won't we?" he said, his breath coming out in a rush at the end of his statement.

"That we will," I replied with a smile.

He was silent for a moment, and if it wasn't for the hissing sound of the doors somewhere beside him, I would have thought the call had dropped. I heard him draw in a deep breath and let it out slowly before he spoke again. "Bella, can I ask you something?"

"Of course," I said softly, confused by the nervous tone of his voice as I pulled into my parking space in front of my apartment.

"How do you feel about webcams?"

_Oh. My. God._

***deep breath* Soooooo… what do you think? Still with me? Ready to bail? Think she'll give in? Let me know what you think. **

**Thanks for reading :D**


	5. Desire

**Chapter 5 ~ Desire**

_"How do you feel about webcams?"_

The silence from the other end of the line was deafening, and I instantly regretted the words the moment they formed.

_Good one, Edward. Scare her away even __more, why don't you?_

"Bella, I'm sorry, forget I ever-"

"No, don't," she interrupted me, finally breaking her silence, but her voice and breath were shaky. "I'm just... um..."

"Look," I started, tossing my cigarette to the ground and stamping it out with my foot. "I have to get back in. I'll try to give you a call or something in the morning."

"Edward-" she began with a heavy sigh, but I cut her off.

"Sleep well, Bella," I said, ending the call and shoving it back in my pocket as I headed back inside.

Truthfully, I had no idea what came over me to ask such a question. Just a few days prior, I hadn't even wanted to so much as see a picture of her, fearful it would disrupt the intensity of the draw I felt.

Yet, the past few nights at the hospital had been overwhelming. There were so many instances in that time that I had such a strong urge to at least text her; hadn't _I _been the one to ask for _her _number, after all? But every time I would try, I'd get paged or fall asleep for the few minutes I could catch.

And when I received her text that night as I was getting ready to return to the floor, I felt a tugging at the pit of my stomach.

_Forget me yet? ~ B_

Did she honestly believe that I could so easily forget her? After sharing the most exhilarating five days of my life with her just the week before? But at the same time, I felt a sense of familiarity at that sentiment, growing more unsure myself with each passing day of how my absence would affect the connection we'd felt.

_Would it dim or even disappear completely in this time?_

Although she had shown herself to be reserved and somewhat shy at times, underneath it all, Bella was a very sexually charged woman. Would she find someone else to share these things with her on that site, or even worse, in person?

The idea of someone else hearing her stirred a jealousy in me I hadn't thought possible. But imagining another man actually seeing her, touching her, feeling her body against him triggered something even deeper; something far more primal and base. Almost possessive.

Perhaps that was what prompted me to start thinking about the webcam. The more I heard her voice, along with the effect it had on my body, the more I craved to see the face attached to that beautiful sound. I had always been a very visually stimulated man, needing the physical attraction to a woman for anything more to surface. Bella was the first one ever to break through that boundary, and still, I felt the draw to the physical aspect.

As I walked toward triage, my phone vibrated in my pocket and I hesitantly withdrew it, glancing down at the screen to find a new text message from Bella. Drawing a deep intake of breath, I clicked on her message and let it out slowly as I read.

_Call me tomorrow if you have a chance. Or we can talk on Sunday. Goodnight. ~B_

Rubbing my hand roughly over my face, I tried to dispel the anxiety her words sparked in me long enough to type a response.

_Call you as soon as I get a chance. Hopefully before Sun. Goodnight. ~E_

As I returned to work, I tried to remain focused on the new onslaught of patients just brought in from a multiple car accident on the highway. But between the beds varying in severity, instead of clearing my mind as I usually tried to do to regain focus, my thoughts drifted to her texts.

On the positive side, she still wanted to talk to me, and for that, I was relieved. I wouldn't be sitting there for the next three days, wondering if she would be there come Sunday.

Nevertheless, the feeling of dread over what she would have to say once we finally spoke again consumed me at the same time. She could easily tell me that she wanted to end it, that it was getting far too personal. In that instance, I would immediately retract any mention of the webcam, suggesting that we continue as we were if she was still willing.

With the weekend quickly approaching, the ER was customarily swarmed and I barely had time to even text her, let alone make the inevitable phone call. And even less time to ponder on it anymore.

Until Saturday night arrived and I finally clocked out for my two much-needed days off. Not only was I completely exhausted, but it also meant the wait was almost over to talk to Bella.

As I lay down in bed, before the fatigue could pull me under, I plugged in my nearly dead phone and dialed her, hoping at least to hear her voice for even a moment before I fell asleep.

_"Hi, this is Bella! I'm not here right now, but my phone is! Leave me a message. Bye!"_

"Well, you wanted to hear her voice, Cullen. You weren't specific," I grumbled to myself quickly before the beep signaling me to leave a message sounded. "Hey Bella, it's Edward. Sorry for calling so late... well, late for me anyway. And I guess you, too. _Fuck._"

I trailed off, rubbing my eyes with the palm of my hand in both exhaustion and frustration. _Great way of displaying what an idiot you can be at times._

"Sorry, really tired. Anyway, I guess I'll talk to you tomorrow. Goodnight."

I ended the call and tossed the phone on my bedside table, hugging my pillow to my face and quickly falling asleep.

What felt like moments later, the buzz of my phone vibrating on the wooden surface roused me from slumber and I reached my arm out from beneath the warmth of my covers to retrieve it.

_New text from Bella._

I glanced at my clock and saw the brilliant green numbers blazing back at me.

_5:27 pm_

Running my hand through my hair, I swung my legs out of bed and threw back the covers with a groan. I stretched slightly as I clicked on her message, forcing my eyes more widely open.

_Got your message. Home from work. Buzz me when you wake up. ~B_

Short, clipped reply. _Shit._

_Just woke up. Let me grab a quick shower and a coffee. ~E_

I stood from the bed, and made my way out to the kitchen to start the coffee before heading to the shower. I needed to prepare myself for anything, and the more alert I was, the better.

As I stood under the pulsing stream, my mind began to run over every possibility that had been dormant for the past couple of days. The only thing I was certain of was that I would do anything I could in order not to lose the thing between us. But what could I say? 'Sorry, I just missed you so much, I was out of my mind?' _No, that doesn't make me sound creepy at all_, I thought sarcastically.

My desire to see her had not changed. I had no fear anymore of what the effect would be. She had affected me so deeply, I knew that seeing her face could only add to that, not hinder it.

I stepped out of the shower with a refreshed determination. Everything would be all right; I would make sure of it. Anything she needed to feel at ease with me again, I would gladly give her.

I grabbed my phone from my bedside table, noticing the blinking message light.

_Another text from Bella._

_Okay, I'll be online waiting. ~B_

Sighing heavily, I walked back out to my computer and turned it on. I had been hoping to speak to her, but I resigned to allowing her to call the shots.

I logged onto the site and immediate clicked on her name to bring up the message box.

_Grneyeddoc1981: hello Bella._

_BellaNova: hi_

I rubbed my hands over my face, preparing myself to begin typing. I needed to fix this, to bring _my _Bella back.

The computer rang first and I uncovered my eyes to view the screen.

_BellaNova: Can we go voice? I just thought this would be better than running up our phone bills. ;)_

I let out a breath I had been unconsciously holding and my shoulders relaxed. The smiley at the end of her statement and the fact that she wasn't avoiding speaking to me was reassuring. I grabbed my headset and situated them in place, finally bringing my fingers back to the keys.

_Grneyeddoc1981: Of course. I'm ready when you are._

_BellaNova is calling,_ appeared a moment later and I clicked 'accept', hearing her soft breaths against the microphone.

"Hi, Edward," she said softly and I closed my eyes, losing myself in the gentle sound of my name on her lips.

"Hello, Bella. How are you?" I asked, starting the conversation casually.

"Okay," she replied, barely above a whisper. "I've missed this."

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth and I leaned further back into my chair. "I've missed this, too."

The line was silent for several moments, both of us seemingly pondering how to begin the conversation that was days in the making.

"About the other night," she started hesitantly, but didn't continue right away and I pinched my eyes closed more tightly.

"Bella, just forget what I said. It was presumptuous and out of line—"

"Will you let me speak?" she interrupted me sharply, taking me by surprise and then letting out a chuckle. Her fire was returning and I couldn't help but release a soft laugh in return. "I'm not saying that it's something that I wouldn't be interested in ... at some point. But all this seems to be moving so fast and getting more personal than I'd bargained for. And I still know so very little about you. I mean, is this ... normal?"

Hearing the reservation in her voice reignited the fear in me. This _was _moving too fast for her and with what purpose? We were practically on opposite sides of the country, thousands of miles apart. This wasn't an actual relationship; it was a means of tension relief without the other strains and pressures that came with one.

Regardless of the connection I felt to her.

"I don't know. I've never done anything like this, either," I replied, my eyes following my thumb as it ran distractedly along the edge of my desk. "But I'm fine with things as they are, Bella."

"I just need a little time," she said with a sigh. "What if you don't like what you see?"

She spoke so softly, I had to strain to hear her; but her words rang loudly in my head. She was afraid I wouldn't find her attractive? That her appeal to me would vanish the moment I saw her face? The stark differences in our fears were startling. Here I was, selfishly fearing the loss of anonymity just a few days prior, while her hesitations centered on her physical appeal to me.

"Baby, I doubt there is anything about you that I wouldn't like," I replied reassuringly, trying to calm her fears. "But we can take as much time as you need. I'm not going anywhere."

She let out a shaky breath that almost sounded like a laugh. "Good. I love when you say that, by the way," she murmured softly and I furrowed my brow. I was just about to ask her to clarify when she spoke again. "When you call me 'baby'. I can't explain it, but I love it. That's something I've missed, as well."

I chuckled softly. I hadn't even realized that I'd ever said that to her before, and barely noticed when I had just then.

"Can I ask you a personal question, Edward? I completely understand if you say no," she quickly added to the end of her statement, a nervous tremble returning to her voice.

"Sure, go ahead," I answered calmly. After her comment earlier about knowing nothing about me, I felt surprisingly relaxed about telling her anything she wished to know to help her feel more at ease.

"You _are _single, right?" she asked in a rush.

I felt my eyebrows lift in surprise from her question, and could not hold back the laugh that broke through. "Yes, I _am _single, Bella."

"Why?" she asked me suddenly, shocking me into silence with her abrupt question and then cleared her throat. "I mean, I'm not complaining. Kinda glad to hear that I'm not the 'other woman' of sorts. But obviously you know how to ... take care of a woman's needs. If you are _this _good at it, just with what we've done. You're intelligent, you're successful ... I guess I'm just having difficulty understanding why you would choose to come here rather than something more real."

I sighed heavily, hearing the same questions I'd been asked numerous times before. "Everything comes with a price, Bella. And my profession seems to be too high of one to pay for most women. As you've seen this past week, I'm not always the most available man in the world and can't really put the attention required into a relationship."

"That sounds pretty selfish," she replied in an annoyed tone and then suddenly gasped. "Them, not you. Oh _god _... sorry."

"It's fine, Bella," I chuckled and shook my head. "Would you mind if I asked you the same question?"

"_If _I'm single or _why_?" she asked, her voice dropping again.

"Both," I responded, shrugging my shoulders.

"Yes, I'm single. And why," she said and gave an annoyed groan. "I'm surrounded by college guys. _Rowdy_ college guys. Does _that_ answer your question? Besides, I guess I don't have the time or energy to put into a relationship, either, and still keep up my grades."

"Well, aren't we a pair?" I replied, taking a sip off my long forgotten coffee.

"I can't say I'm sorry, though," she said in a low voice and I slowly swallowed the liquid in my mouth. "I've never experienced anything like this, Edward. The things you do to me ... no one has _ever_ done. I've never been this insatiable before."

"Neither have I," I sighed, the lustful tone of her voice radiating through me and my erection began straining against the front of my jeans.

"Edward, I know we were having a conversation and all, but do you think we could ..."

"Could what?" I was almost certain of what she was trying to say, but I was determined never to be so presumptuous again. Aside from that, I wanted to hear her say it. I _needed _to hear her say it.

She sighed exasperatedly, followed by a soft growl that was so damn erotic, I bit back my own groan as my cock hardened. "It's been a week. I _need_ you."

My eyes widened and I swallowed hard at her boldness. While I was almost expecting her to hint at something like this from the sound of her voice moments before, I still gasped slightly at the bluntness of her statement. Never in the past few days had I even allowed myself to entertain the idea of her ever initiating anything like that between us so soon.

"Close your eyes, baby," I replied huskily, unbuttoning my pants to release the pressure against my throbbing erection. "Are they closed?"

"Yes," she whispered back.

"If I was there with you right now, able to do anything at all. What would you have me do?" I asked her in a calm, deep voice, hearing a shiver in her breath.

"Kiss me." Her reply caught me off guard, but her soft tone was so enticing, I closed my eyes to envision it myself. "With your hands in my hair."

"So soft," I said in a low hiss, my hand resting over my boxers and slowly rubbing my palm along my length. "Your hair. Your lips. You feel so good."

"I want you so badly. Touch me," she spoke breathily, her arousal evident.

"Take off your shirt," I replied, envisioning in my mind's eye her full breasts coming into my view.

"I'm not wearing one," she said with a sultry growl.

"Oh fuck," I breathed out heavily, her words sending a pleasurable ache straight to my cock and my hand gripped it through the fabric.

"Just a robe tonight."

"Take it off."

I could hear her movements and the rustling of her robe dropping from her body. "Gone. Now it's your turn. Start with _your _shirt."

"_I'm _not wearing one," I replied with a small smirk, now grateful I had been in too much of a rush to get to her to bother with one.

"Pants?" she whimpered and I hummed in affirmation. "Well, since I am completely naked, I think it's only fair that you should be."

I stood to push my clothing down over my hips, kicking them aside when they hit the floor and settled back into the chair. "Are your eyes still closed, Bella?"

"Yes." She spoke in whispers again, and my fingers wrapped around my length. "I want to taste you."

"God, Bella," I moaned, my hand beginning its movements and my head fell back.

"Do you feel me, Edward?" she almost purred in my ear and it was the most sensual sound I'd ever heard. I felt the tightening in my gut and my breaths were beginning to come out in pants.

"Fuck, baby. Yes," I hissed, closing my eyes and once again envisioning her full lips surrounding my cock, her warm mouth engulfing me.

"Mmm, so hard. I want you inside me... fucking me," she growled, the intense arousal in her voice unmistakable as she whispered under her breath 'I wish I could see it', taking me by surprise. I knew I was definitely not supposed to hear that; that she was losing herself in the moment. Yet, the affirmation that the thought did indeed cross her mind at times awoke the animalistic desire in me to touch her, to allow her to touch me and lose myself in her. The lack of physical contact was both frustrating me and fueling my desire for her. "Take me, Edward."

"How do you want me?" I whispered, my voice raspy and my hand slowing its motions along my length. "What's your favorite position?"

"From behind, deep inside me with your hands gripping my hips," she panted heavily with soft moans interspersed throughout.

_Damn, this woman is too good to be true, _I thought, yet all I could manage to vocalize was a deep groan.

"Like that?" she teased, her amusement at my reaction obvious in her tone but then she moaned and let out a sigh. "Fuck me, Edward. I need you so bad."

My cock throbbed against my palm at her words and I gripped myself more firmly. I could feel my release building quickly after the week away from it all, away from her; obviously, my fears were unfounded. We still felt the need, still had the same effect on each other despite—or perhaps, even _because _of—my absence. Even if I couldn't see her, I could hear the desire in her voice.

"Bella ... _shit _... feels so good, so tight," I groaned roughly, visions appearing behind my lids of her long brown hair cascading down her back in front of me, her body jostling with the force of my thrusts. My heart was pounding in my chest and my muscles were tightening.

"God, Edward. Harder ... please," she whimpered and the desperation in her tone indicated that she was getting just as close as I was. "Just a little more."

"I want to hold on to your hips and watch my cock slide in and out of you. Can you imagine what that would look like?"

"Oh, god."

"Let it go, baby. I need to feel you come around me," I panted in a husky voice.

"Fuck, Edward," she cried out, followed by a low shaky moan laced with profanities as she came. The erogenous tenor of her voice combined with the illusion in my mind of her back arching, her lips parting, her clenching tightly around my cock, sent me into yet another intense orgasm.

I groaned in shuddering breaths as I released, feeling the days of pent up frustration dissipating and my body relaxing more into my seat. As it ebbed, I gripped the arms of my chair while I caught my breath, my eyes remaining closed as I reached into the drawer for one of the towels I had stowed there the previous Saturday night.

"God, I needed that," she panted heavily and I gave a soft chuckle in response, agreeing with her completely. It felt amazing to have the tension between us broken, but then, the silence resumed. Just as I was contemplating ways in which I could break it, to hear that voice again, she did so first. "So, were you born in Chicago?"

The simplicity of her question initially took me off guard, until she began asking more and I realized what she was actually doing. That knowledge in itself was shocking as well.

She was getting _more _personal.

It continued that way for the next two weeks and Thanksgiving was quickly approaching. Again, I would be away from her, this time on her terms, as she was going home to Washington for the holiday. And that thought alone made her feel just _that_ much further away.

Fortunately for my sanity, holiday weekends left little time for idle thought, and in the short time that she was away, I had little time to miss her presence. That was, until the evenings rolled around and I attempted to eat while in full view of the computer. Or even worse, lying in bed at night.

The details she had given me when I requested them over the past few weeks had done nothing to quell my desire for her. Aside from her brown hair, she also divulged that she was petite, having always hated her small stature of 5'4". And her eyes ... her hazel-green eyes that turned almost emerald in color when she was aroused, had become the forefront of all my fantasies while talking to her, and even more so when I was lying alone in the dark.

As I was the night my phone began to buzz beside me, the red flashing light of a message catching my attention through the darkness. I reached over to grab it from beside my clock and a small smile appeared on my lips for the first time in days. _Bella.___

_In case you didn't know, Forks is REALLY boring. Can't wait to get home tomorrow_. _Have a surprise for you. But this should give you a hint. ~B_

I furrowed my brow as the message light began to flash again and my phone vibrated in my grasp. I clicked back to the message list to find a new text ... with an image attached.

I sat up in bed, curiously opening the message and my breath caught in my throat as the view of a bare breast filled my screen. It was soft and perfect, a delicate slope and pink nipple. I brushed my finger across the screen as I imagined what it would feel like in my hand, if it would fit as perfectly in my palm as I imagined. The curve of her waist was visible, creamy skin and toned muscle; I was breathless and hard in that instant.

Falling back onto the bed, I ran my hand through my hair with a moan, unable to take my eyes off the screen. Even without seeing her face, I couldn't imagine how she could possibly think I would find her unappealing? Her skin was flawless, even in the hazy picture from her phone.

_God Bella. I am so hard right now. ~E_

_Prove it. ;) ~B_

I smirked and licked my lips, tossing the covers aside and pushing my boxers down. With one hand resting on the base of my cock, I aimed my phone at it, the bright flash illuminating the room as I captured the image. Sending it to her, I waited for her to respond and my phone was dormant for several minutes before it finally buzzed beside me.

_Holy. Shit. God it's so ... pretty. ~B_  
_  
_I chuckled in amusement at her response, unsure of how to respond to that.  
_  
Wow, never heard THAT before. ~E_

Never in my life had I heard a woman call my cock 'pretty'. Again, indicating that Bella was not just any woman. She was unique, special.  
_  
You have amazing hands too, btw. The things those fingers could do as well. ~B_

As much as I had been determined to go one night without seeking release, there was no way I was going to be able to fall asleep with the effect she was having on me with her words, that picture.  
_  
And would... ;P ~E_

_What time are you getting off work tomorrow? ~B_

_Day off ~E_

_Be waiting for me at 3. Goodnight. ~B_

_I'll be here. Goodnight. ~E_

Setting my phone down, I rolled out of bed, indulging myself in yet another shower before turning in for the night. Returning to my room several minutes later calm and relaxed, I rested my head back against the pillow with anxious anticipation of what the following afternoon would bring.

**x-x-x**

_3:00_

All day, I had been waiting for that moment to arrive, and seated in front of the computer with my phone in hand, I prepared myself for her arrival. I watched the minutes pass more slowly than the one before until her name popped up on my screen and almost instantly, the message that she was calling appeared. I grabbed my headset quickly and accepted the call.

"Hey, baby," I said, smiling as I consciously uttered the endearment and heard her laugh softly in response.

"Hey. So, are you ready for your surprise?" she replied with a trace of mischief to her tone.

"If that picture was a 'hint', you definitely have my curiosity piqued," I replied, shifting in my seat slightly at just the thought of the image I had been glancing at periodically throughout the day.

"Close your eyes, Edward," she whispered in a deep, sultry voice, laden with arousal and I swallowed hard in anticipation, finally surrendering to her request. "Are they closed?"

"Yes," I replied, letting out a slow breath.

I heard the groan of what sounded like a mattress and the rustling of fabric, the distinct sound of her fingers clicking the mouse buttons, and then, complete silence. Drawing in a slow breath, she finally spoke again. "Okay, open them."

Slowly lifting my lids, the image on my screen immediately caught my gaze; a singular, dainty foot in a high-heeled, open toe shoe at the end of a bare, bent leg.

_Goddamn! _I thought, envisioning that leg wrapped around me, that heel digging into my ass as I took her against the wall.

Slowly, the image shifted to a long, smooth thigh leading up to a petite, yet beautifully curved pair of hips, with the hint of black lace appearing on the screen.

_Oh, fuck me! _

I rubbed my hand along my unshaven jaw, rocking back in my chair. I could feel my cock throbbing painfully in my—thankfully loose—pants and I let out an involuntary groan.

"Should I stop?" she teased, the picture on my screen remaining stationary just below her waist, showcasing the planes of her flat abdomen hidden beneath yet even more thin black lace.

_She was wearing lingerie. Holy shit!_

"No. God, no. Please," I groaned, my hand moving on its own accord inside my pants, stroking myself slowly as the camera began to pan up her body again. The curves of her breasts filled my screen, her silky, brown hair draping over her shoulder and running down her arm, and I bit my lip at the sight. The perfect shape of them, firmly resting in the corset top she wore. My breaths began heaving slightly as she inched more slowly toward her shoulders and collarbone. "Fuck, Bella. Please."

"Fair is fair, Edward," she whispered and I watched as her fingertips ghosted lightly over the swells of the tops of her breasts.

"You're a tease," I growled, sighing heavily and causing her to laugh as I adjusted the webcam on my desk. I leaned back in the chair, my cursor lingering over the button that would effectively end the mystery... at least, for one of us.

"You're one to talk. This was _your _idea," she pointed out and I groaned in defeat; she was absolutely right. And she had already given me more than I had expected, initiated the whole thing. Even sent me the picture the night before, putting herself out there on a limb.

"Okay, here goes," I replied, clicking the button and watching the drastic rise of her chest as the image appeared on her screen. Her hand curled around her breast, squeezing it gently as she let out a soft moan. _Well, that's a good sign._ "Your turn, baby."

The curve of her chin moved in and out of the frame as she nodded and I heard her take in a slow breath. Gradually, her pouty red lips appeared, fuller than I had ever imagined. As her tongue swept out to moisten them, I ran my hand through my hair, trying to restrain my groan until the image began moving again. Her perfectly shaped nose appeared, and I began to give up the notion that there was any part of this woman that would not be breathtaking.

The moment her lashes appeared in the frame, I swallowed hard, knowing that a woman's eyes were always what sealed the allure of her to me. They remained closed for a moment while I took in her face; she was absolutely beautiful. Her cheeks flushed and her lips parted slightly, the lines of her jaw soft and smooth, her head resting back against a huge white pillow.

"Open your eyes, Bella," I murmured softly.

Taking a deep breath, her lids parted, revealing a stunning pair of almost emerald green eyes.

"Hello, gorgeous," she smiled timidly as she spoke, but I could not respond.

I was lost.


	6. Turning Point

**A/N: Hi everyone! Thanks for coming back! **

**Firstly, I know there was a lot of confusion in the last chapter concerning Bella's eye color, and I attempted to respond to as many reviews as I could to explain this, and also posted on my Twilighted thread (link is in my profile) with an explanation. It **_**was**_** intentional, and does serve a purpose, I promise. :)**

**Second, I want to thank manyafandom for her review for this story on the TwiSlash blog. I have been a huge fan of your stories for a long time, and it really meant so much to me that you were enjoying one of mine. Thank you so much, Hopey!**

**Tiffany, thank you SO much for the hours you put into the superbeta job for this chapter and for all your words of encouragement. Karla, Erica and Lindsey, for being my sounding board and helping me out in my time of need, no matter how long it takes. Christina, for just being you and keeping me laughing. :) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or Edward, but this story and the Grneyeddoc is all mine :D**

**Chapter 6 ~Turning Point**

_This was the moment I had been waiting all weekend for; why am I so nervous?_

I'd asked myself that question repeatedly after returning home from the airport that morning. And my anxiety only increased as I pulled out the silver shopping bag from Port Angeles that was stowed in the bottom of my luggage.

A weekend home visiting my parents was something I usually enjoyed and savored. Spending a few days in the quiet, peaceful surroundings of Forks, after living in the mayhem that was LA for the past three years, I would come back feeling refreshed. I missed my parents and my friends; hell, I even missed the _rain_.

It was _home_.

Yet, sitting in my old room on my first night back, I felt empty. As if something very vital were missing.

_Edward._

The past few weeks had been amazing. Not only because of the mind blowing orgasms that incredibly sexy voice evoked, but getting to know the man underneath; which was, surprisingly, even sexier. From what I had learned, I couldn't for the life of me understand how any woman in her right mind would have let that man go, or even worse, pass him by in the first place.

That led me to wonder what kind of women he went after; that wouldn't find him worth waiting at home for. I admired him for what he did and all that he sacrificed, while they seemed to judge him for it. I could never fathom disregarding everything that was so important to him in a selfish need to be with him. The time we had spent apart, as much as I missed him, made the time we spent together all the more precious, something to look forward to.

Balancing school and a job, though far from the hectic environment of the ER, I understood the demands placed upon him. Personal time was a luxury and home should be a place of comfort and acceptance, especially while in a relationship. If you care about someone, you should cherish the moments you have with them, not punish them for the time you don't.

That fact also piqued my curiosity about his appearance, as well, as shallow as that made me feel. Yet, it also made me realize that I didn't truly care what he looked like. The man underneath was far more appealing and beautiful than any appearance he could have.

He was compassionate and considerate, successful and intelligent. It was easy to talk to him, and he always listened to everything I had to say. That the women around him could be so selfish boggled my mind.

It was _my_ appearance that I was concerned about. Not that I was entirely without my own appeal; the changing shades of my eyes depicting my mood being only one thing that seemed to intrigue. But certainly nothing that would jump out and grab a man like Edward. He seemed to love the fact that I was a brunette instead of the stereotypical blue-eyed, buxom blonde, and we had amazing conversations outside of the sexual realm.

And even though every detail I had given Edward about my appearance had elicited such incredible responses—and sounds—from him, I also knew better.

Men like breasts. _Mine were barely B-cups._

They liked long legs. _5'4"... any questions?_

They like curves. _Yeah, don't have those, either._

The fact that I was afraid I had little to offer unnerved me, as did the ache I felt after being away from him.

The week he was on call was hell. Everything was so up in the air for us, so confusing. The fact that I actually _missed_ him, more than just the lack of release, was concerning. I missed his voice, the soft sound of his laugh, and his soothing presence I could feel, even from thousands of miles away.

The previous few days had been rough. Without the Internet, being back in my parents' house meant relying solely on my Blackberry for any contact with the outside world. Normally, this would have been refreshing, but when it cut me off from my world with Edward, I was restless.

I had intended to tease him a little more the previous night before bed, just to feel that connection with him. But after seeing what I could only refer to as his "pretty" cock, with his amazingly long, beautiful fingers splayed around it, I found myself in desperate need of a shower.

I missed all that once again, but the level of distraction it had caused was no longer concerning, but _disturbing_. I daydreamed of him constantly, losing count of how often my father said my name, bringing my attention back to the present. I hardly slept at all during the night, wishing I could be back in my apartment instead, with him and my laptop.

That was not helping to ease the fears I felt. I had become so reliant on him that when he asked about the webcam, I went into a panic, evaluating my options. If I said 'no', I risked losing our time together or limiting it, as well as coming off boring. Men enjoyed women who were willing to explore.

But if I said 'yes', I risked the same thing. If he found me unattractive, why would he ever come back?

That was a risk I wasn't willing to take, which didn't just disturb me. That _scared_ me.

All of those things were running through my mind as I stepped into the lingerie store in Port Angeles the previous afternoon. I had made the decision the night before that when I got back, the webcam was making its debut, and I was going to be ready for it.

I had already been buffed, plucked and waxed within an inch of my life, and all I needed was the right apparel. First, I bought a pair of black strap heels that I would normally never look twice at, and _never _actually _wear _if I were going anywhere but my own bedroom. But they made my legs appear longer, and as I walked through the lingerie store with my hoodie and sunglasses in place, I found the perfect accent.

A black corset top, cut low in the front to give a full view of my cleavage, while enhancing it at the same time. Tiny black panties, barely more than scraps of lace would ride high on my hip; again adding more illusion of length to my legs.

I bought it without another thought, and when I tried it on after my parents had gone to bed, I couldn't help but smile at my reflection. I might be plain, but the good doctor wouldn't know what hit him.

Or so I thought, until I found myself staring into the face of what had to be the most sinfully gorgeous man I had ever seen.

Everything from his hair in insane disarray as if he'd spent hours running his hands through it, the determined set of his green eyes, and the perfect angles of his jaw. Not a single flaw, and far beyond anything I had conjured up in my own mind over past few weeks.

I was breathless; I had braced myself for anything but that. My breaths became small gasps of air as my hand closed tightly around my breast in response.

"Your turn, baby," he said softly.

_You can do this, Bella,_ I told myself.

Nodding slowly, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Through every sigh and profane growl, my confidence built. So far, so good.

Panning the camera up my body for him, I lifted the screen of my laptop, finally revealing my face to him.

I could hear his breaths coming through the mic but he remained otherwise quiet.

And he was killing my nerves.

"Open your eyes, Bella."

_Here goes._

With another long draw of breath, I finally brought my gaze back to the screen to look at him, watching his Adam's apple rise as he swallowed loudly. His eyes flickered slightly over the screen, the silence driving me insane. _Anything would be better than nothing right now.  
_

"Hello, gorgeous," I said with a nervous smile, running my fingers through my hair, brushing it back from my face.

He grinned before covering his mouth with his fingertips. Shaking his head, he rested on his elbows in front of him. "God, Bella. You're fucking beautiful."

The wonder and amazement in his tone made me blush from the nerves. Biting my lip, I lowered my eyes.

"Thanks. You, too," I whispered and then my eyes shot up as he chuckled, covering my face with my hands. _I just called him beautiful to his face!_ "I mean, you're _very_ good looking. Not even close to what I was anticipating."

His soft laughter continued and I heard the creaking of his chair, and I dropped my hands to see him leaning comfortably back, rubbing his chin with his hand. "What were you expecting, Bella? The Hunchback?"

"Well, you never know, with the Internet," I teased back, more at ease with the sight of his relaxed posture. "It's nice to see the face attached to the voice, though."

"I agree," he replied, his smile widening and my heart began to pound more. The way his entire face brightened with such a simple gesture was incredible... only serving to make him far more sexy and appealing. "I like the outfit, too."

"Was it too much?" I asked, noting the way his brow lifted as he cleared his throat.

"Not. At. All," he breathed, shaking his head for emphasis. "_That_ was something I was certainly not expecting. But _shit,_ you look fucking amazing. Just feeling a little overdressed here."

"Well, then even things up a little and lose the shirt," I taunted, raising my eyebrows. As breathtaking as it was, that picture was a tease. I was aching to see the rest of him.

He smirked and muted the mic before standing, his face disappearing as those long fingers lifted his shirt. Involuntarily, I traced along my inner thigh, envisioning his hands doing the touching.

As the first hint of his muscular abdomen appeared, I sighed at the light dusting of hair trailing beneath the button of his jeans. _Thank god, he doesn't wax! _I thought to myself, having always had a fixation for the 'treasure trail' on men, as long as it wasn't excessive.

My gaze drifted up as I soaked in everything; the lines of his muscles were not excessively defined, but still taut and firm. Not a gym buff, obviously, but he certainly _did _take care of himself. And again, I was stunned that some woman actually willingly gave him up. _Her loss, my incredible gain._

For a moment, his shirt balled in his hands in front of him, obstructing my view and I let out a soft growl of displeasure before he tossed it aside. Lowering himself back down into the chair, I watched him move, licking my lips at how beautiful he truly was. The broad shoulders and the expanse of his chest were begging for my hands. He replaced the headset and I could practically envision my nails digging into his biceps as they flexed.

I bit my lip and swung my legs off the bed to stand, leaning over the laptop and turning it to face me. I lingered over it for a moment, giving him a purposeful view of my cleavage, to which he half-growled, half-groaned. "Nice view, baby."

"I think I can give you a better one," I teased seductively, loosening the ties on the front of my corset a little more with each step. It would never cease to amaze me, the boldness he brought out with the smallest encouragements. It was invigorating.

With the knowledge of his approval, for once, speaking my mind, saying what I wanted, and even shedding my clothes in front of a man, didn't scare me or send me running for the light switch. I realized, as I loosened the corset top, loop by loop, that he made me_ feel _sexy.

"Show me, Bella," he whispered huskily and I pulled the fabric apart, sliding it off my shoulders. I watched him shift his position in the chair. "Holy shit."

A triumphant smile came across my lips. "You like?" I teased, crawling back onto the bed toward my laptop.

"Like?" he asked with widened eyes and a raised brow. "That picture didn't do you justice. I don't know if it would be possible for me to 'like' any _more_."

I moaned softly at the deep, resonating sound of his voice as he spoke, settling back against the pillows again. I had missed him, our time together, and _everything_ so much. Moving my laptop, I adjusted it to give him a view of as much of my body as possible. "Well, let's see if _your_ picture did _you_ justice."

He chuckled again and stood, his waistline filling the screen. I sat with full attention as long, amazing fingers worked the button of his jeans.

"Have I told you that I love your hands?" I whispered, my own fingers tracing lightly along the lace rim of my panties now.

"You may have mentioned that," he laughed, pushing his pants over his hips, the boxer briefs underneath accentuating the prominent bulge hidden behind them.

_Oh fuck, why is he so far away?_ I asked myself as my hand slid between my thighs, teasing my aching clit already. After so long without him and seeing him that way, I was impatient.

My eyes followed the subtle 'V' of his abdomen as he also lowered the briefs, leaving him completely exposed to me. A shiver of pleasure shot through my body, straight to the already pulsing need I felt for him.

"God, I wish you were here," I whispered as my fingertips pressed more firmly against my panties.

"No more than I do, baby," he replied as he sat down and I let out a soft whimper as the lower half of his body disappeared from my view on the screen. He smirked and rolled back his chair back, giving me a full shot of his face, his torso, the tops of his thighs ... and his erection. _Dear God._ "Better?"

"Mmm, much. You read my mind," I moaned, my gaze running over the length of his body.

"Good. Now, read mine," he said suggestively. Then he _winked_.

Smiling at his challenge, I pushed myself off the bed and stepped out of the camera's view, earning a growl from the other end.

"That's not right, Bella," he groaned, one hand gripping the armrest of his chair, while the other wrapped around his length and began their movements.

"Patience, Dr. Cullen," I teased, sliding my panties down my legs and stepping out of them. In a burst of inspiration, I decided to tease him, dangling the fabric in front of the camera.

"_Really _not right," he growled, shifting his hips. _Apparently, I'm not the only impatient one…_

"Can't take a little suspense?" I asked in a sultry voice, letting the scrap of lace fall from my fingertips.

"Oh, please let me see you," he pleaded in a soft voice.

I stepped in front of the camera slowly, trailing my hand between my breasts, down my abdomen, finally brushing against the soft, bare skin between my legs.

"Fucking hell," he growled, cupping his hand over his length and closing his eyes briefly with clenched teeth. "Can you lay down for me?"

I propped myself seductively on the bed, our eyes meeting, staring.

"Put the cam between your legs and show me," he continued in a husky tone and I complied, adjusting it so he could see the full length of my body. "God. So perfect, Bella."

_Perfect. _My heart swelled at his praise, at the way he said those words. He meant it and my confidence soared higher._ I _had this effect on him. It was _my _name falling from those perfect lips.

I licked my own, trailing my hand down my thigh and resting between my legs, not quite touching yet, as much as I _really_ wanted to. Watching his hand was far more arousing than I ever thought it would be. Knowing that his erection, every moan and sigh was caused by me, was empowering.

"Fuck, I've missed you," I whispered softly without thinking, and the nervous butterflies returned as I realized what I said.

"I've missed you, too," he replied with a soft sigh, and I reopened my eyes to look at him, seeing nothing but sincerity in his eyes.

"Really?" I asked, in spite of the expression written clearly on his face.

A small smile broke across his lips and he nodded. "Yes, Bella, _really. _I've missed _you_."

_You._ He emphasized _you._ Not 'this' or 'it', but '_you'. _And that, by far, was the sexiest thing he'd ever said to me.

"I want you," I sighed truthfully, closing my eyes and leaning my head back slightly as my fingers circled my clit.

"You're so wet for me. _Fuck_," he growled and I looked at him, watching the pure lust on his face, his eyes remaining locked on his screen. "Can you slide your fingers inside? Let me see how tight you are."

My hand moved along my slickened skin as he asked. My impatience returned now that we were past introductions. I moaned as two of my fingers slid inside me, beginning my process of teasing, sliding and touching, overwhelming sensations rushing. The knowledge that he was watching every moment heightened everything.

"Add another one for me…" he whispered, his voice gritty.

I bit my lip as I withdrew my hand, re-entering a moment later with a third finger for him. "Oh fuck, Edward." My back arched slightly off the bed.

"Damn, you're so fucking beautiful," he grunted. With those words, I opened my eyes, seeing the muscles in his neck tensing as we pleasured ourselves together, his hand stroking feverishly. "I'm not going to last long like this, baby."

"Me, either," I panted, swallowing hard and moistening my dry lips with my tongue. I imagined him next to me, teasing me, those fingers just a slice of foreplay. "Fuck me, Edward. Please," I moaned, wanton and desperate.

"Spread your legs wider, Bella. And close your eyes," he said, his voice low and sexy. His request pushed me to move faster, and I groaned loudly at the new sensations caused by the thrusting of my hand, my fingertips striking that spot deep inside me. Remembering his request, I lowered my knees to the mattress, closing my eyes and knowing exactly what would come now.

"You feel me?" he asked, a slight shake in his voice as he stroked himself faster.

"Yes," I hissed. "More." My chest rose and fell with each breath.

"Deeper, baby. I want to feel you deeper," he growled and I began moving my hand faster and harder, striking my clit roughly with my palm. Imagining him above me, those beautiful lips caressing mine, those long fingers weaving into my hair as he claimed my body.

"Oh God, Edward. I'm gonna come," I whimpered, feeling the tension build with every pass. I imagined him inside me, thrusting, speeding up.

"Look at me now, Bella," he said huskily. My eyes flashed to the lidded green of his. "I want to watch you come for me."

That was all I needed to hear.

"Ohshitfuck," I cried, my legs trembling as I lost myself. "Edward, oh my God."

My moans echoed in the room and I fought to keep my eyes open as the force of my orgasm took over. My palm rubbed vigorously against my swollen skin and I shook violently, but my eyes never left his. The high began to recede, but the pleasure only increased as I watched him find his own release. He kept eye contact, his green gaze narrowing into mine.

With an open mouth, I watched him in awe—panting and euphoric—entranced by the sheer magnificence of seeing Edward in the midst of orgasm. His tightened jaw as he hissed between clenched teeth, the creases deepening in his forehead, his eyes closing unbiddenly, but I didn't mind. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

His eyes finally fluttered open and his features slowly relaxed, a gentle smile gracing his features as he looked at me. "Just when I thought this couldn't get any better..."

"I know," I concurred as his voice trailed off. "I might spontaneously combust next time at this rate."

Our laughs blended together as he rolled closer to the desk, turning his head to reach for something beside him, giving me an amazing view of his profile. I hadn't noticed his nose was slightly crooked at the bridge, as if it had been broken at some point, or his perfect lips that pouted slightly, or the stubble along his angled jaw. He wasn't just sexy and beautiful, he was _handsome_. Once again, I felt the stirrings of the now familiar ache inside me of being so far away from him. And the arousal.

_Damn, give yourself, __and_ _him, a chance to recover from the last one, Bella, _I mentally scolded myself, pulling a light fleece over me, staring at his face the entire time.

"Don't cover yourself up, baby," he said in a soft tone, raising his eyes briefly from his abdomen to look at me and lowering them again.

"It's a little chilly. I have my window open and even California gets a little cool in November on occasion," I chuckled, hugging the blanket around my chest.

"So, close the window," he shrugged, tossing a towel aside and finally bringing his gaze back to me.

"I can't sleep with the window closed. It's a weird quirk, I guess," I replied softly, my eyes lowering.

"Bella, it's barely two o'clock there," he laughed and shook his head. "And who said _anything _about sleeping."

_So, I wasn't the only one ready for another round._

"You're going to be the death of me, Mr. Cullen," I teased.

**x-x-x**

Over the next few days, he nearly _was_ the death of me.

Our comfort level with each other had grown by leaps and bounds since that first experience with the webcam, and since then, we didn't have a single night without them. And in the time we were apart, we filled it with texts and voice messages.

Then one morning, he sent me a picture of him in his office, in his scrubs and white jacket ... with his erection in plain sight.

_Payback for the dirty message, my naughty little vixen. But I agree. ~E_

I smirked at how much I loved the possessive side of him, but also the memory from the night before. After he had logged off, I lay back on my bed and snapped a picture of myself with my laptop still between my legs, fingers pinching my clit and my head thrown back. Opening my photo editing program, and typed the words '_Wish you were here_' across my abdomen.

I spent so long staring at the picture of him; I hadn't noticed the light turning green until a blaring horn sounded from behind me. Tossing my phone onto the passenger seat, I stepped on the gas and the car behind me squealed its tires and swerved around me.

"Pay attention, you stupid bitch. Or get off the damn road!" the driver yelled out his window, flipping me the bird in the process.

"Learn some manners, asshole!" I yelled back, returning the gesture and laid on my horn as he cut in front of me. "Motherfucker! I hate LA, I hate LA, I hate LA."

I continued my mantra all the way to campus, still shaking slightly, trying to control my breathing and calm my pounding heart.

As I parked, I leaned my head back against the seat to collect myself before retrieving my phone to reply to him.

_Damn you and your sexy body. You've pissed off an LA driver. Dangerous move. ~B_

I was barely out of the car and walking toward my first class when my phone buzzed against my hip.

_Oh my god, I'm sorry. Are you okay? ~E_

I couldn't help but smile at the concern emanating from his text, and immediately replied to ease his anxiety.

_I'm fine. You can make it up to me later. Loved the scrubs btw. ;) ~B_

_You know I will. Be careful and I'll see you when I get home. I'll leave the scrubs on. ~E_

"Oh, God," I whimpered softly, picturing him taking out his erection, stroking it for me in his chair. Like he was on a dirty lunch break, possibly thinking about me and reliving one of our sessions in his mind. I found myself wondering if he'd ever done that at work… in his office…

Suddenly, I looked down at my watch and found that my imagination running away with me, in addition to the traffic mishap, had caused me to run late.

Quickly, I hit the bathroom before class. And that's when I saw it.

"Fuck!" I shouted loudly into the empty room.

My period had always been somewhat irregular, but it always appeared at the most inopportune moments. Couldn't have happened while I was in Forks, away from Edward? When I didn't need him as much as I did right at that moment?

_Of course not_.

And with absolutely no warning this time.

_Could this day get __any worse?_

Sitting in my first class, I pondered what to do. He was a physician, but that was too awkward. There was _no _way I was telling him what was _really _going on.

Before I could think on it any more, Alice appeared.

"Hey Bella!" she called out from across the green. She ran toward me, speaking before I could even greet her. "Before you say no, hear me out. A bunch of us are getting together as a kind of group date sort of thing and I'd really like you to meet this guy, Jasper, I've been seeing. No wild parties or drinking, just dinner. Please, it will be fun?"

"Little problem, Alice. No date," I replied, having no desire to be the third wheel yet again.

"Already covered," she smiled. "His name is Riley, so sweet, so cute, and _so _perfect for you."

I sighed heavily, rubbing my forehead.

"No expectations, Bella," she continued, "And you know I'd _never _set you up on a blind date if he was anything _but _a gentleman."

Alice always meant well and I trusted her judgment, but that wasn't why I agreed. Her big brown eyes were pleading with me, making it impossible to refuse her.

"_Just _dinner," I warned, my eyes narrowing. Meaning well sometimes led to more than 'just dinner'—to those wild parties she referenced.

She nodded in response. "Yay! You won't be sorry. I'll pick you up at five so we can go together!" she rushed out, releasing me from a bone-crushing hug before hurrying away to her next class.

I settled down on the grass, a twinge of guilt tugging at me. This would be the first time since everything started with Edward that I'd be away from him voluntarily, and it was for a blind date.

But why did I feel guilty?

Of course, I was very attracted to Edward. I enjoyed his company immensely and had the best sex life I'd had in years, if that's what it could be considered; but he was in Chicago and I was in LA. There weren't a whole lot of options for anything more without one of us uprooting our entire lives. In reality, neither was feasible. His job, his family, his life were all in Chicago and my heart was set on returning to Washington once I graduated. And how long could a 'relationship' such as ours really last with the distance?

What we had was great for the time being, but deep down, I knew the likelihood of it going further was slim. Did I have an obligation to him? We hadn't discussed anything about us, and for good reason. Again, it wasn't like we could actually make it anything more without some serious… everything.

For the first time, that realization sunk in. But what could I do? I enjoyed him and he enjoyed me, and we were both lonely. It was safe and new and fun. There was no harm in what we were doing, what we shared.

So where did that leave me? Us? My thoughts drifted back to my confusion over what type of women I had assumed he had dated before, being a gorgeous, successful doctor. I wasn't sure what kind of women he had pursued in the past, or what he expected from me, but I really had no choice but to be myself. Being myself meant being honest and open, with no secrets.

Thinking hard, I decided that no commitments existed between us, but I still had an attachment to him that was extraordinary. Whatever we were to each other, more than friends and not really lovers, he was a good man and one that deserved the truth.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket, drawing in a hesitant breath and letting it out shakily. Even though I was already emotionally invested in Edward, in reality, I couldn't give him what he needed to be happy. Sometimes words and letters cannot express what one feels for the other, and touch is more significant in a person's time of need. At that time, we needed each other for release. And although I would love for there to be more, I knew that couldn't happen.

I wanted to come home from a bad day and curl up in his arms.

I wanted to kiss his lips and tell him everything would be all right after losing a patient.

I wanted so many things and I had no idea if I was the only one feeling this way, and no one to turn to for advice. Even Alice, as free spirited as she was, wouldn't understand the situation. I'd never been in a meaningful relationship, and the first time I felt as if I wanted to be in one, it was unconventional, to say the least.

That moment was going to be the turning point; I felt it as I pressed send.

_Change of plans. Going to dinner with a friend. Talk to you soon. xo ~B_

I grabbed my notebook from my bag to start my homework when my phone buzzed against my thigh.

_A friend? Female? ~E_

I sighed heavily and bit my lip, frowning as I typed the truth. As if he was standing right in front of me.

_No. ~B_

**A/N 2: Okay... trust me on this? Just as with the hazel/green eyes on Bella, there is a plan and purpose to this. And I swear not to keep you all waiting for too long for the good doctor's POV.**


	7. Not Backup

**A/N - Yes, I know it's been a while. Not nearly as long as my other story, but writer's block and real life have been running rampant. I have received several inquiries on both DEF and this one concerning updates and posting schedules, and unfortunately, I do not have one. I post as inspiration strikes. And obviously, it's not always reliable lol. But I have not given up on these stories by a long shot. I adore them both, but I am just very picky about what I post for you all, and the last thing I want to do is deliver you something subpar. Thank you so much for all your patience, I really appreciate it!**

**Chapter 7 ~ Not Backup**

_A friend? Female? ~E_

_No. ~B_

My stomach dropped with that one simple word, as if I'd been physically struck as I re-entered my office. Tossing the phone onto my desk, I drove my hands into my hair, breathing heavily.

"Son of a bitch!" I exclaimed though clenched teeth, tugging roughly on my hair and sweeping a penholder from the surface of my desk and onto the floor.

"Is everything all right, Dr. Cullen?"

I turned my head toward my still open door and the petite blond nurse from reception that I could not remember the name of standing there; her name had never mattered. Everything over the past several weeks had revolved around one thing.

Bella. Who wouldn't be there that night. Who was going out … on a date … with another man.

"Yes, fine. Thank you," I paused, discreetly glancing down at her name badge. "Lauren."

"No problem," she replied with a wink and turned, closing the door behind her.

I rolled my eyes and sat back heavily in my chair, spinning it roughly toward the window. Even the beautiful sight before me of the lightly falling snow, blanketing everything in a glistening white cover, could not quell the anger and the accompanying ache caused by that one word.

She'd lied to me, and I believed her. She told me that she didn't date, yet wouldn't she have specifically said it _wasn't _a date if it had been anything else? Was this all just some kind of game to her? Was she really no different than every other superficial, needy woman I'd encountered in my life?

Just the day before, it would have been nearly impossible for me to think of Bella that way.

And at that moment, I was sitting there, agonizing over why she would do something like that.

Everything had been amazing between us, despite the base nature of what we had. I'd actually looked forward to going home every day, my apartment no longer filling me with a sense of loneliness I yearned to escape. For the first time, it actually _felt_ like a _home,_ as if I had something to come home _to_. And I did.

_She _was there waiting for me, every single night. No matter the time or my frame of mind, just one look at her face or the sound of her voice instantly relaxed me. Never once had she indicated that she wanted anything else, that the time we spent together wasn't enough.

_Until today._

I'd been an idiot. Allowing myself to become so personal and comfortable with her. For trusting her.

For needing her.

Turning back to my desk, I reached for my phone, her last text still staring back at me from the screen. What had changed in just a little over an hour, since our morning ritual of playful banter as she went to class? Or more specifically, _who _had changed it?

Images flooded my mind of some faceless college jock, moving in and touching what should be _mine_. Her smile and that beautiful blush as he asked her for a date, biting her lip the way she did when she was nervous. The way her small hand fit into his, like it should in mine, as she invited him in. His hands touching her, running them over her body. Pulling her full bottom lip between his, causing the sweet sounds she made to escape her; the sounds that only _I_ should elicit. Being in her bed…where I couldn't be.

I hit reply before my thoughts could travel any further, continuing to torment me.

_Have a good evening. Edward_

Setting my phone to silent, I attempted to return to work; to what was _real_.

Yet, even drowning myself in my work could not distract me for long. She had completely consumed me for weeks; thinking about her had become as natural as breathing. Regardless of how hard I tried to block her out, she was always there.

It hit me the hardest when I entered my apartment, fully realizing as I gazed across the room at my computer that she wouldn't be there.

Grabbing a beer from the fridge, I slid my jacket off, tossing my phone from my pocket onto the counter. The red blinking light in the corner that had been taunting me all day still flashed incessantly. I tilted the bottle to my lips, continuing to stare at it. It was no doubt just various emails that had filtered in throughout the day. She had no other cause to message me.

Nonetheless, I grabbed it and walked over to my desk, settling into my chair and staring at the blank screen of my phone. I wasn't sure what would have been worse; to have a message from her or not.

Flipping on my monitor, I checked my email, and as I suspected, nothing of importance. Yet, my phone kept flashing.

The screen suddenly illuminated with an incoming call, and my throat tightened.

_Bella_.

I scoffed and shook my head, instantly declining the call and sending it to voicemail, seeing one last unopened message on my screen. I opened it and saw it was from Bella, earlier that morning.

_I'm sorry. Talk to you soon. ~B_

Unable to think of any way to reply to that, I powered down my phone—the message disappearing from the screen. What had I actually expected? She was in college on the other side of the country; she had no commitment to me. How long had I thought it could continue before she got bored, needing something more real? She was still so young; far too young to limit herself in such a way. She _should_ be out, going on dates, having fun, and enjoying life.

So why was I so angry?

It was all so abrupt. Just that morning, she was still _my _Bella, and an hour later, she was gone. I hadn't realized until that moment how reliant I had become on her presence in my life in such a short period of time.

It wasn't just about the sex anymore, and I couldn't remember the last time it felt as if it were.

It was little things like all night conversations about anything and everything that came to mind. Random texts throughout the day, with nothing sexual in nature, just to say hi. And even something as silly as deciding at midnight that she wanted a bowl of cereal and asking me to join her, joking about how it was our first meal together.

I felt at ease with her, never having to pretend to be anyone other than just Edward. However, staring at the computer screen at that moment, my chest literally ached from her absence. Even if I logged onto that site right then, I would never find another Bella and had no desire to do so.

Finishing off my beer, I turned off the monitor and made my way to the bedroom, falling still clothed onto my bed. Through sheer exhaustion from the day and the strain of it, I fell asleep quickly but not restfully.

_She was there. Although not for the first time, she was more vivid than ever. Lying beside me, her body pressed firmly against my side, whispering that she missed me as her lips ghosted over my bare shoulder._

_I pulled her against me, burying my face in her long brown hair, her arms wrapping around my shoulders. Rolling her onto her back, I pressed a kiss to her full lips, hearing her whimper softly as I settled between her legs. Looking down into her eyes, they gazed back at me with a strange mixture of green and brown, a shade I had never seen. So light, they were almost transparent. As I positioned myself against her, her fingers wove into my hair and she kissed me gently._

"_I'll never leave you, Edward," she whispered against my lips, capturing my lower one between hers and pulling me closer._

_Just as I moved to enter her, she disappeared as everything fell to darkness._

The incessant buzzing of my alarm ripped me abruptly from my peace. I slapped my hand on the snooze button, unwilling to open my eyes. I could still almost feel the pressure of her body against my side, her warm skin, and her soft lips. And once I opened my eyes, I knew it would all vanish completely.

"You already _have_ left, Bella," I grumbled into my pillow at my subconscious, taunting me with what it thought I wanted to hear and see.

Rolling onto my back, I rubbed my eyes briefly with the palms of my hands, letting them fall to my chest as I stared at the ceiling.

I didn't want to get out of bed, nor did I really have to. It was my day off and anything that I _needed_ to do could wait. Yet, I wasn't sure I wanted to go back to sleep, either. Part of me was cursing myself for not remembering to turn off my alarm the night before, while another part was grateful for it. _I could be lost in the sweet abyss that was Bella right now, but would that really be any better?_

Throwing the covers roughly aside, I swung my legs out of bed and stood, walking across the room and stretching as I made my way to the window.

"Just fucking perfect," I grumbled as I peered outside, seeing nothing but brilliant white glaring back at me, clouded by the heavy sheet of a Chicago blizzard.

_Well, there goes the plan for getting out today,_ I thought to myself as I pushed off the window frame and headed for the shower. I'd spent enough time being a _doctor_ in an ER on days such as that without becoming a _patient_ in one as well.

Which only left me more time to think, allowing my mind to wander to places I didn't want it to be.

_Bella_.

I unwillingly began to wonder how her date had gone the night before. Had she enjoyed herself? Had he made her smile and laugh the way I did? Had he felt the lips I'd only been able to dream about against his, heard her moan his name in pleasure against his ear, her hair fanned out over the pillow beneath her head?

Had he given her the orgasm I could?

_Get a hold of yourself, Cullen. Not everything is about sex, remember? _my mind screamed at me.

I walked out to the kitchen after my shower with a towel still around my waist, turning up the thermostat and set about making my coffee.

No, it wasn't all about sex. But it was easier to remain angry about that, than to pathetically ponder things like her tiny hand in his. Her head resting on his shoulder, allowing him to inhale the scent of her hair. Her eyes staring at him in fascination as he spoke.

Taking my first sip of coffee, I walked over to my desk to check my email before getting dressed and figuring out what to do with my day. I was surprised to find an email from Emmett, sent about an hour before.

_Hey Doc, you all right? You didn't look too good when you were leaving last night, and you haven't been answering your calls or texts. Hope all is okay. Enjoy your day away from the madness, this storm ain't letting up. _

_Em_

"_Shit_," I mumbled, grabbing my phone and powering it up as I walked into my closet. No sooner had I slid on a pair of jeans, I heard my phone begin to vibrate incessantly on top of my dresser with incoming messages. After pulling a shirt over my head, I took it back into my hand and looked down at the screen.

Several messages throughout the night from Emmett, but only one message caught my eye.

_She texted last night_.

Running a free hand through my hair, the other fell to my side, and the screen rested against my thigh as I drew in a deep breath. _Why is she doing this? She made her choice_.

Nonetheless, I brought it back up to my view and selected the message. _I really must be a glutton for punishment._

_I'm so sorry, Edward. Buzz me when you have a minute, please. ~B_

I rolled my eyes as I gazed at the time of the text. 10:28 pm.

Barely 8:30 her time. Some 'date'.

I turned my head at the chime of my computer sounding in the next room, indicating a new email. I tossed my phone on the bed and walked back out to the living room.

"I'm fine, Emmett," I mumbled under my breath before I sat down, knowing he would not give up until he received a reply.

_Great friend, but persistent as __hell!_

However, when I finally looked to the screen, it was not 'Emmett McCarty' that stared back at me. Instead, it was 'Bella Swan'.

_Edward,_

_I know you're probably really angry with me right now, and I can't blame you for not answering my texts. But I really need to talk to you, to explain. I'm online right now and I'm not going to class. Far too tired and distracted. Please._

_Bella_

My leg bounced rapidly in agitation as I read.

_Late night, Bella?_ I mentally sneered as I leaned back in my chair, swiveling it back and forth and squeezing my lip between my thumb and forefinger … but my eyes never left the screen.

What could she possibly have to say to me? And what would I have to say to her? _I should just end this right now, solidly_, I thought. Yet, the idea of that caused an ache inside me, knowing for a fact that it wasn't healthy or even sane, but part of me didn't give a damn. I wanted her. I desired her more than any woman I'd ever encountered. She _understood_ me more than any other woman … or so I thought.

_Nothing to explain. Hope you had a good time and that it was worth it._

I clicked send, standing from the chair and walking to the kitchen to warm up my coffee. Watching the creamer dissipate as I stirred, I felt the ache growing again. I couldn't even bring myself to type her name, how pathetic was that? Nevertheless, I also knew that I needed to distance myself as much as possible, while still attempting to make myself appear as neutral as I could.

I could not allow myself to let her know that it was actually tearing me apart—especially after that dream the night before.

I was just taking another sip of coffee when that damn chime sounded again. I sighed heavily and walked back over to my desk, relieved to find that time, it _was_ Emmett.

_Ed, fuck, man. I know for a fact your ass if up by know. Reply to __something. _

_Em_

I chuckled slightly as I hit reply.

_Em,_

_You kiss your mother with that mouth? Everything is fine. Just personal shit. Thanks for the concern._

_Now get some fucking sleep!_

_Edward_

As that message sent, my inbox reappeared on the screen with one new email highlighted at the top. I drew in a deep breath and exhaled it heavily as I clicked over it.

_Edward,_

_Yes there is. Please, just give me five minutes. _

_The date was a disaster, if you must know._

_Bella_

I leaned forward on my desk, driving my hands into my hair.

Why wouldn't she just give up and leave it alone? Did she really think that she could just bounce me back and forth like a Ping-Pong ball?

The problem was … she actually _did _hold that power, if I ever allowed it.

_Sorry to hear that. But I'm not going to be your backup plan._

_Edward_

The moment I sent the message, I instantly regretted it. Not only was it unnecessarily cruel and I felt like an absolute ass, but obviously, it was also a lie.

My phone rang from the bedroom a moment later and I walked in, looking down to see it was her calling.

Declining the call again, I tossed the phone back onto the jumbled mess of my bed and fell back on it myself.

What was I doing? I was being a coward. I was behaving as if I were in high school rather than the professional adult I was.

_Was I jealous?_ Fuck yes, I was.

_Was I angry?_ Of course.

_Was I angry with __her?_

As I was pondering that, my phone vibrated beside me and I picked it up, assuming it was a voicemail from her call. Instead, there was a waiting text message.

_Edward I know you're there. I'm only asking for 5 mins, and willing to embarrass the hell out of myself. Please answer._

I sighed heavily, rubbing my hand over my face. She wasn't going to give up, but did I want to hear her voice just then? I had to admit it would be a hell of a lot easier than seeing her face at that moment; having to see her eyes and whatever did or did not lie there anymore.

But I could at least listen to whatever it was she had to say.

Highlighting her name on my call log, I pressed send and after one ring, her voice rang through.

"Edward," she answered in a breathy rush and I immediately felt my chest tighten at the sound. I heard her clear her throat at the other end when I didn't reply after a moment, followed by a soft sniffle. Was she crying? Before I could even begin to question her, she began to speak. "I know you're angry. Just please listen."

"So, what did you want to tell me?" I asked, attempting to keep my voice level and emotionless.

"About last night," she started and I inhaled slowly through my nose in preparation. "It's not what you think."

"Oh really? So, you didn't have a date last night?" I asked sharply, sitting up on the bed and shifting to lean back against the headboard.

"Well, yeah," she replied softly with a sigh.

"After you had already made plans with me?" I continued.

"Yes, but…"

"Then it's _exactly_ what I thought," I concluded, shaking my head. "That's all I need to know."

"No!" she exclaimed loudly, causing my eyes to widen in surprise and preventing me from ending the call. "It's _really_ not."

I waved my arm out in frustration with my head rested back on the headboard, feeling the slight sting on my thigh through the denim as my palm struck it. "All right, enlighten me, then."

I closed my eyes and could almost envision her biting her lip and twirling one of her long tendrils around her fingertip, as she always did when she was nervous about something.

"It was a blind date, set up by my friend, Alice. I didn't even know the guy," she replied in a faint voice.

"That's really not helping at all," I replied tightly, my fist clenching on my leg. Even from a distance, I was more familiar with her than this guy had been, but he'd still been close enough to touch her.

"Nothing happened, Edward," she said in an almost knowing tone, while still holding a slight hint of desperation. "Even if I was able, I just couldn't."

Her voice was soft as it trailed off and I slowly opened my eyes, staring up at the ceiling. "Bella, just—"

"I got my period," she mumbled hurriedly and let out a shaky breath, cutting off anything I could have attempted to say. "I didn't know how to tell you, and we can't really … _do_ much like that. I didn't know what to do."

I sighed heavily, running my hand through my hair and resting my head back against the headboard again. "So, rather than just telling me that you got your period, you decided to go out on a blind date instead."

"I know. I know! It was stupid! But it's not exactly the most comfortable topic for a woman, you know," she breathed out heavily and I could just about hear her lips pursing in frustration. "Especially given the nature of our relationship."

"And exactly what is that?" I snapped back, my head shooting up.

"It's sex ... Edward," she said, her voice barely audible. She huffed almost defiantly before continuing. "Whether we can touch each other or not, it's sex!"

My hand rose to pinch the bridge of my nose and we were both silent for an immeasurable period of time. I honestly couldn't say what I was expecting because I really wasn't sure, but her words were like a punch to the gut. My hand fell to my lap with a heavy sigh escaping my lips. "That's all this is to you?"

"What else can it possibly be?" she replied weakly, followed by a deep intake of breath.

"No," I chuckled humorlessly, pushing up off the bed and storming back into the living room. I wasn't buying this over the phone. Typing in my password to the site, I immediately received the notification that she was still on, as well. "Turn on your cam, Bella."

"What?" she exclaimed breathlessly in shock.

"Turn on your cam and let me see you," I repeated firmly through clenched teeth.

"Edward …"

"Do it. You wanted to talk, you wanted me to come online. I'm here. Now, turn on your cam."

There was a moment of silence on her end and then the screen to view her webcam appeared. I swallowed hard as I waited for the image, preparing myself for anything. And once it did, her head was bent down with her fingers threaded in her hair, the other holding the phone to her ear.

I leaned back in my chair as I gazed at her, taking her in even though I couldn't see her face, yet. For the moment, she was still there and I wanted to take a moment to savor that. "Bella, please, look up."

I heard and watched her inhale, running her tongue over her lips and pressing them together. And when she finally opened her eyes and raised them, what I saw tore at my heart.

Her eyes were swollen and tear-filled, and the shade from my dream the previous night; that unique and nearly transparent tannish-green shade I'd never seen before.

Because I'd never seen her cry.

She brushed her fingertips roughly across her cheek and her gaze shifted uncomfortably. "What?"

"I want you to look at me," I said softly, wishing so much that I could hold her, make her tears end. "And tell me that's all this is to you."

"Turn _your _cam on," she replied and bit her lip, not saying another word until her eyes shifted slightly on her screen when I sent my invite.

My heart pounded harder until I was sure it would burst through my chest with every moment that passed and I waited. For her to confirm my worst fears; for her to tell me it didn't matter.

"I can't," she whispered and shook her head, another tear escaping the corner of her eye. Her forehead rested in her hand, pushing her hair back. "It should be, but it's not. It killed me to say those things to you yesterday. No matter how much I tried to convince myself of the unrealistic and impossible nature of all this."

I watched her eyes, seeming as if they locked right on me, and beyond the sadness and anguish, was nothing by sheer honesty. I lowered mine slightly, taking a sip off my now cold coffee. "Did you want him at all?"

"No," she replied softly but firmly and I looked up to see her still shaking her head. "And that scares me. There was absolutely no other reason for me not to want him. Other than, he wasn't you. All I could think about all night was how much I would have rather been home talking to you. Imagining he was you just to get through the damn dinner, thinking of how much different it would have been. And in the end, getting pissed off because he _was_ sitting next to me and you were in Chicago. Angry with me."

Her eyes fell with her last statement, and as I gazed at her, I had the answer to my earlier question. I wasn't angry at _her_. While she could have handled the incident better, I couldn't be angry with her.

I was irrationally angry with this guy, whoever he was, for trying to take her away. Angry at the situation and angry with me for allowing myself to become so attached. But I was at the point of no return, nor did I want to.

"Bella," I said gently, trying to keep my voice calm and her eyes rose again. "If we're going to continue this, I won't share you. If you decide at some point that you want to start dating, you can tell me and I won't hold it against you. But I'll have to let you go completely. I can't bounce back and forth like this. Would you want me to go on a date with a woman, possibly even sleep with her, and then come back to you?"

I watched as she visibly stiffened, her back straightening and her hand gripping the wrist holding the phone. Her jaw tightened and she took a shaky breath.

"No," she said in a firm and steady tone, shaking her head sharply. "So … what does this make us? Exclusive internet lovers?"

We both laughed at the same time and she covered her face with her hand, but her smile was refreshing.

"Well, that's certainly an interesting way of phrasing it," I chuckled, staring at her as she rested her cheek in her palm and even though she appeared tired, she was still so damn beautiful. "I missed you last night."

"I missed you, too. I thought about you all night," she replied, tilting her head slightly and gazing at her screen for a prolonged moment. "You didn't shave this morning."

I released a breathy laugh, rubbing my hand along my chin and then looking back to her. "Well, why don't you go get some sleep, and I'll go shave. You can give me a call when you wake up."

"No!" she exclaimed, sitting up sharply again and then biting her lip. "Please don't shave if you don't have to. I'm not ready to go to bed yet."

I laughed softly and shook my head. "Bella, I'm still going to be here when you wake up. It's my day off, and it's snowing like a bitch outside. I'm staying in today."

"Then just stay here with me for a little longer," she replied tiredly. "I just want to look at you. I've been going through withdrawals."

I couldn't help but chuckle softly along with her at her comment. "Then take your laptop into your room and lay down. We can talk for a bit longer until you're ready to fall asleep."

She nodded slowly and held the phone between her shoulder and her ear as she picked up her laptop.

"Do you want to hang up and use the mics?" I asked as I watched her trying to balance everything as she walked.

"Uh uh," she replied and set the laptop beside her bed, climbing onto it and bundling herself under the covers, hugging the phone against her ear. "You feel closer this way."

Her eyes were already closing as she began to mumble, though she was fighting to keep them open. I heard her breaths slowing against the phone and I looked down to my watch. It was only 7:30 there?

"Bella, did you sleep at all last night?" I asked softly and her eyes blinked open for a moment, and then she shook her head.

"Couldn't. Needed to talk to you," she grumbled, pulling the blanket under her chin.

I couldn't take my eyes off her. She looked so peaceful and beautiful, her eyelashes fluttering over her skin, her lips slightly pursed. I knew I should've said goodnight and just let her go to sleep, but fuck, I had missed her.

"You're quiet," she muttered without opening her eyes

"Sorry, you just look so tired," I replied and she slowly nodded her head. "Baby, shut off the computer."

"But—"

"I will be here when you wake up, I promise," I continued, interrupting her protest.

"'kay," she said softly, opening her eyes and blowing me a kiss, before her screen went black and I shut mine down as well.

I chuckled as a soft whimper came from her end. "You were supposed to shut it down, Bella."

"Okay, okay. Fine," she huffed and I heard the click of the top closing and the shuffling of fabric against the phone. "It's off."

"Now, go to sleep," I urged gently, hearing a soft hum in response ... and then silence.

Bella had fallen asleep on the phone.

I whispered a soft goodnight and hung up, setting it on top of my desk.

As I tried to occupy myself throughout the day, the image of a sleeping Bella combined with the memories of my dream from the night before floated through my mind. What I would have given to be right there with her, watching her fall asleep and brushing away the stray hair that had fallen over her face. To wake up to her still there beside me, needing only to roll over and have her beneath me.

For those lips to be against mine instead of her fingertips as she 'kissed me' goodnight.

I halted mid-chop through a carrot on the cutting board at that thought. What exactly would that be like? For the first time, I was _seriously _allowing myself to think about that. While we didn't have an actual title for our relationship, 'exclusive internet lovers' as she called it, she was, in a sense, _mine_. As I was hers. Would we _always_ be denied of each other's touch?

I couldn't see any reason why we'd have to be.

When my phone finally rang later on that day, with her name appearing on my caller id, I was anxious to hear her voice, to talk to her.

"Hey, I'm sorry I slept so long. It was a long night, and not in a good way, by any stretch," she said when I answered the phone.

"It's fine. It gave me some time to think anyway," I replied with a smile, taking a bite of my dinner and a sip of my beer.

"Oh no," she breathed out and audibly swallowed hard.

"No, not 'oh no'. Nothing like that," I replied calmly, pushing my chair back from the table and standing up as her relieved sigh sounded through the phone. "I actually wanted to ask you something."

"What?" she asked in a nervous tone.

"What are you doing the week after Christmas?" I asked, leaning against my window frame and staring out at the mass of white outside.

"Um, coming back to LA after spending Christmas with my parents. They're not much for the big New Year's party thing. Why?"

"Because I'd like to spend New Year's with you," I replied and heard a soft breathy laugh in response. "In New York."


	8. Anxiety

**A/N: I did it! I got an update done for Christmas. Insomnia struck me for a couple of nights, and this was the result. :)**

**Thank you my lovely preview team who were so encouraging with your words as always :) And Christina, thank you for pointing out where my 3am pervy brain needed some serious help. ;) **

**And last but not least, this chapter is dedicated to one of my Fandom Gives Back auction winners, Milalencar, whose prompt I used for some dirty talking Edward. **

**Late Night Encounters 8 ~ Anxiety**

In the course of the previous twenty-four hours, I had endured the widest range of emotions I'd ever experienced. From elation to fear and confusion, hopelessness, loss, pain, and finally, relief. Everything I'd never expected to experience from something like I shared with Edward.

There was absolutely no reason why I shouldn't have enjoyed my date with Riley the night before. He was sweet and considerate, a perfect gentleman; just as Alice had promised. Yet, he had one major flaw that I couldn't seem to overlook, regardless of how hard I tried.

He was not, and could never be, Edward. He didn't stir the same emotions and desires from me, and it was frustrating.

I repeatedly excused myself from the table to try and call or text him. His last response after I told him about the date had been so cold and distant, not that I could have expected or deserved anything else. My simple 'no' was no less cold.

I kept trying to assure myself that it was better for both of us, that there was no real future in something such as what we shared. But without him, my heart ached and I felt empty. Knowing that I had driven him away hurt. Knowing that I had hurt _him_ was worse. The tone of his last text left no question—he was angry.

That became clearer with each text that went unanswered and every call that went straight to voicemail. I'd really made a mess of things, and for what? Because I got my period? That was a lame fucking reason. This was Edward, he would have understood.

It all boiled down to one simple fact. I was afraid.

Underneath it all, the connection and need I felt for him terrified me. Just that one insignificant event had brought to light all my insecurities and reservations, nearly ruining everything. In that moment of weakness, I'd been pulled from the fantasy world I'd allowed myself to become submerged in—even if for only those few hours a night, and random texts and conversations throughout the day. The world with Edward in it. I was so afraid of it ending that I'd gone and ended it myself.

And I regretted it all night.

Alice was beyond annoyed with my repetitive disappearing act, and I was pretty sure that even if I'd _wanted_ Riley to call me again, it would never happen. I'd barely spoken two words to him all evening, and they were 'hello' and 'goodnight', never even attempting to pull myself from the self-imposed hell I'd thrust myself into. All I wanted to do was go home—to be with Edward, to explain.

Yet, even when I did convince Alice to take me home, I'd still received nothing in return from him. I tried to fall asleep, even setting my alarm an hour early so I could try him again and have some time before class to talk to him, but it wouldn't claim me.

All night, I felt the tears trailing down my temples and onto my pillow. I missed him so much, lying there thinking about all the things that had taken place in that bed without him ever being physically present. Not only the effects he'd had on my body, but the way he could make me smile and laugh after I'd failed one of my exams, or how he'd indulged me in something as simple as singing to me when I mentioned that I missed going out karaoking. He was my perfect man, if only he were closer.

Eventually I grabbed my pillow, made my way out to the living room, and curled up on the couch. The tears never ceased, and I'd sat there helplessly as my phone remained dormant on the coffee table.

My alarm went off at six and despite my exhaustion from being up all night, I sprang from the couch, running to my room to shut it off. Hurrying back into the living room, I checked my phone, foolishly hoping to find something there.

A fresh round of tears began when I found nothing. Grabbing my laptop, I sat on the bed with a defeated expression and powered up. I needed to talk to him, even if it meant complete humiliation.

I immediately went to the site to see on his profile that he had not been on since I had last talked to him, which in itself, was a small consolation. He hadn't gone back to look for someone else the night before.

I quickly typed out an email to him, my last attempt to contact him before giving up.

_Edward,_

_I know you're probably really angry with me right now, and I can't blame you for not answering my texts. But I really need to talk to you, to explain. I'm online right now and I'm not going to class. Far too tired and distracted. Please._

_Bella_

I clicked send and stood, dragging myself into the kitchen for an energy drink, far too exhausted to bother with making coffee. Besides, if he didn't answer within an hour or so, I was going to attempt sleep again.

I had just finished my last sip when I heard my email chime from my laptop and I rushed across my apartment to get to it.

_Nothing to explain. Hope you had a good time and that it was worth it._

His words stung and were discouraging, but it was still contact; it was a start. And I was more determined to talk to him then than before, regardless of how many emails or texts or ignored phone calls I had to make.

His next response, however, tore at my heart, and my throat tightened with a restrained sob.

_My backup plan? Is that all he really thought this was about?_ I asked myself and then sighed heavily. What reason had I given him to believe otherwise? But then again, how could he believe that was all he was to me? Did he truly not know how he consumed me, both body and mind?

When I finally saw his name illuminated on my phone after my final text, my heart jumped into my throat, but I anxiously answered it.

I could hear the restrained anger and hurt in each response, yet through the tension of our conversation, one thing became blatantly clear. The definition of our relationship was just as uncertain for him as it was for me. What I had not expected, however, was his reaction to my response.

"Turn on your cam, Bella."

_No one _ever saw me cry, not even my own father, let alone a man I'd never met. But as with so many things, in the end, I couldn't deny him what he wanted. And the moment he appeared on my screen as well, I also knew I had to be completely honest with him.

I wanted him. I desired no one else, and that terrified the hell out of me. But the pain that struck me at his mention of letting me go completely—and the anger at the thought of the roles being reversed and another woman touching him—scared me even more.

Yet, it sealed everything at the same time. I couldn't let him go.

So, 'exclusive internet lovers' it was.

Despite his insistence that I get some sleep, I fought it for as long as I could until it was impossible to keep my eyes open anymore. I had been awake for over twenty-four hours, and crying for the better part of the past eight or nine. I barely heard him whisper goodnight before sleep pulled me under.

And there I stood in the kitchen, my phone on the floor after losing grip of it in my shock at his statement.

"Because I'd like to spend New Year's with you in New York."

My breaths came in pants and my mind swam in circles. New Year's … in New York … with Edward.

"Bella?"

His voice rang up from my phone at my feet and I slid down the cabinets to the floor to retrieve it, bringing it back to my ear.

"You mean … face-to-face?" I asked shakily, my hands trembling slightly.

I almost expected him to go on the defensive again as he had with the initial mention of the webcams. But there was never a falter in his tone as he replied.

"Yes. Face-to-face."

My stomach flipped and my heart fluttered at the strong certainty of his tone, but it all fell just as quick.

"Edward, I would love nothing more than to spend New Year's with you," I replied, swallowing hard against the emotion rising in my throat. "But there is no way I could afford a plane ticket on such short notice."

"Did I say you would have to pay for it? _I'm_ inviting _you,_ after all. You could consider it an early Christmas present," he replied and I could hear the confident smile in his voice.

"I'd never be able to reciprocate something like that," I chuckled softly, shaking my head.

"Sure you can. Just say yes and come to New York," he whispered into the phone and I felt my face heat in a blush.

"Yes," I answered wholeheartedly and without reservation, my smile widening almost painfully across my face. The idea that I would actually be able to touch him and finally feel him kiss me as I had only ever imagined made it impossible for me to respond any other way. "But why New York?"

"Well, first of all, neutral ground," he replied matter-of-factly and I hummed in agreement. He did have a point there; a first meeting on the other's turf would give the advantage of comfort to one that the other would be denied. "But also … you've obviously never been to New York for New Year's Eve if you're asking that."

"Guilty as charged. But I've seen it on television, if that counts," I mumbled, causing him to break into the laugh I had missed hearing so much.

"Not even close, Bella," he chuckled and began telling me of all the excitement that New York had to offer, and by the end of our conversation, I was even _more_ anxious to go.

If that were even possible.

For the next two weeks, I attempted to contain my anticipation of New York while outside of my apartment, not wanting to tip anyone off to my plans. I didn't want to even try explaining any of it to Alice, and much less my father, who I would be seeing in a less than twenty-four hours.

It took everything in me not to shriek in excitement, when I checked my email in the middle of my Psychology class, to find my flight itinerary from Seattle to New York inside. The professor glanced up at me at the sharp gasp I was unable to contain and I slid my phone into my pocket, crouching down into my seat as the entire class turned to look at me.

_Lesson here … _never_ open email in Psychology_.

I hurried home as quickly as I could, eager to not only tell him that I got the email for the tickets … but it had been a _long_ couple of weeks without my 'green-eyed doc'.

Besides Mother Nature making an untimely visit, Edward had also switched his on call week with one of the other doctors to have the week after Christmas off. Therefore, all of our planning over the past week had been via email, text, and the occasional— all too brief—phone calls.

But that night, he was off, and he was mine.

After showering and changing into a simple tank top and panties, I checked the computer to see if he had logged on yet. Since he hadn't, I set it on the counter and went about making myself a quick dinner.

The microwave had just beeped when I heard the ringing from my laptop, and I rushed over to it and smiled at the notification that he was calling.

"Hey, sexy," I crooned as I accepted the call.

"Well now, there's a greeting," he chuckled in response and let out a slow breath. "It's been a long week. I doubt I'm all that sexy."

"You let me be the judge of that," I replied and a moment later, his image appeared on my screen and instantly, my heart began to beat rapidly in my chest. He looked tired, but still Edward, the face I had been aching to see all week. "_So_ sexy."

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Whatever you say. Your turn."

"Just give me two seconds. I'm just going to grab my dinner real quick," I said, turning back toward the microwave.

"Please, Bella. I've been waiting all week to see you," he pleaded, and I turned to see him leaning back in his chair with a worn expression. "And this is our last night before New York."

I smiled slightly, leaning down to open my cam. "Just don't mind my messy apartment."

I knew the instant my image appeared on his screen when I saw the soft smile light his features. "That'll be the _last _thing I'm paying attention to," he said and I laughed at his response as I walked away. "Do you _always_ walk around your apartment like that?"

"Only when I have hot doctors watching me," I smirked over my shoulder at him and grabbed my dinner out of the microwave.

"Oh, is that so? And how often is that?" he asked, folding his arms over his chest and trying to suppress his smile—unsuccessfully, I might add.

I moved back over to the counter and set the carton beside the laptop, stirring the contents with my fork. "Well, I've hit a bit of a dry spell. Haven't had a single one all week," I teased, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye. "But there's this one, who drives me absolutely insane. He's _really _hot, too. Gets me all hot and bothered just _thinking _about him."

"Hmm, should I be jealous?" he shot back with a raised eyebrow, but his posture remained relaxed.

"_Very_," I winked and smiled, grateful that he was in good spirits tonight and was playing along. "Just his words and the sound of his voice can make me come harder than I ever have in my life. He may have just ruined me for any other man."

"Sounds like a lucky guy," he replied, his voice slightly gruffer and catching my attention as I took a bite. His jaw was tense and his eyes were dark ... he was turned on. "Too bad I'm going to have to steal you away from him."

"I don't know, he's pretty tough competition. He's also got these amazing fingers that I fantasize for hours about. How they would feel in my hair, all over my body ... inside me," I moaned softly, wrapping my lips around the piece of chicken on my fork and pulling it off slowly. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back as I swallowed, sighing contentedly before looking back at him. "And watching them wrapped around that amazing cock of his— it's orgasmic."

"Fuck," he breathed out, shifting in his chair and his hand disappearing below the screen. "God, I've missed that filthy mouth of yours, baby."

"Hey, why did your cam shut off?" I asked with a furrowed brow as his image disappeared from my screen, but he didn't reply. I thought for a moment that our connection was disrupted until I heard him say my name. "Edward, turn your cam back on."

"Did you hit mute or something? I can't hear you," he said, and I checked to see that everything was fine.

"Can you hear me now?" I inquired, but again got no response, so I brought my hands to the keys.

_BellaNova: You still can't hear me?_

"No, not a thing," he replied and I ran my fingers through my hair.

_Fuck_, I growled internally. We had both been looking forward to this night all week, and it was our last one together until the day after Christmas. Still a long week away.

_BellaNova: Your cam is off too._

"No, I still have it on, baby," he murmured and I let out a frustrated growl. I heard him chuckle softly and I narrowed my eyes. "And so do you. You're sexy when you're mad."

I flipped off the cam and heard his laughter increase, brushing my hair behind my ear and typing again.

_BellaNova: Let me restart, jackass._

"No don't!" he exclaimed immediately and I furrowed my brow in confusion. "You said you could come from the sound of his voice, right?"

I groaned softly as the deep tenor returned to his voice, biting my lip anxiously. It was the possessive tone that made me feel both appealing and weak at the knees simultaneously—something only he was capable of.

I simply nodded in response.

"I'll make you come ten times harder."

"Oh, holy shit," I whimpered, gripping the counter for support.

"Don't type, just listen. Get over on your couch," he commanded, using a voice I had never heard before. It was fierce and dominating, and so fucking arousing that I immediately complied.

I settled onto my couch with my laptop on the table in front of me, panting in anticipation.

"Strip for me. Slowly."

I swallowed hard, crossing my arms in front of me and lifting my tank top over my head, hearing his subtle moan as I revealed my breasts to him. I pushed up off the cushion and began sliding my panties over my hips.

"Slower."

The pit of my stomach tightened as he spoke, halting my movements as I slid my thumbs beneath the thin straps on the sides and lowered them painstakingly slow. Once to my knees, I released them to drop to the floor.

"Spread your legs wider."

I shifted my feet to comply and I heard the zipper of his pants. I bit my lip, picturing him in my mind as I had seen him so many times. His hips lifting to guide his jeans down, freeing his erection to my view. His hand moving to wrap his fingers around it, and the tensing of his face as he did.

"God, I bet you're so fucking wet. Turn around and kneel on the couch. Show me."

My entire body was throbbing with arousal from his deep, sharp tone and I turned around, lowering myself onto my knees and leaning forward onto the back of the couch.

"Fucking beautiful. Touch yourself for me, Bella."

I rested my head on one arm while my other hand trailed down my abdomen, sliding my index and middle finger along either side of my clit. I gasped softly as I pinched it gently before rolling it between them.

"Feel good?" he asked and I nodded, continuing to massage the skin between my fingers. "You know what I would do to you right now? For driving me crazy like that?"

I closed my eyes and swallowed hard. Maybe I had pushed him too far, and after everything we had been through a few weeks prior, it might not have been the best course of action. But there was still arousal heavy in his voice, I was sure of it. Even if I couldn't see him.

"Put your hands on the back of the couch, don't touch yourself again until I say so," he commanded and I whimpered in response, gripping the seat cushion tightly in my fists. "No complaints, Bella."

I shook my head and then let it fall, exhaling heavily. The effect he was having on me was like nothing else I'd experienced with him. He sounded so powerful, so commanding and utterly masculine. And I was relishing in it more than I could have ever expected, aroused to the point of agony.

"Now, the first thing I would do is wrap that pretty hair around my fingers and make you look at me while I tease your clit with my cock. So you can feel how hard I am for you, until you're begging me to fuck you, and then, make you pleasure me with that hot mouth of yours."

My eyes pinched closed and my fingers clenched the cushion tighter. My breaths were coming faster and involuntary whimpers were escaping my lips. I wanted him more at this moment than I had in any of our time together. I was pulsing with desire, aching and desperate for him.

"You want me to touch you, Bella?" he whispered tauntingly and I nodded, my back arching in response. "Right there?"

I breathed out shakily, running my tongue over my dry, quivering lip.

"I think I would like to start somewhere else. Like those beautiful breasts."

I moaned softly and my nipples hardened instantly at his words. Imagining those long, lithe fingers squeezing around my breasts, circling teasingly around the sensitive area and causing me to cry out in pleasure as he pinched them.

"So firm and perfect," he murmured under his breath, and I could tell from the sound of his voice that he was starting to get close. "Touch yourself again and look back at me. Bring yourself right to the brink of orgasm and then stop, just as I would if I were there. And don't try to fool me either, I'll know. I know every flicker of your eyes, every twitch of your mouth, every single movement of your body when you're just about to come."

A shiver ran through my body at his brusque tone but also his statement. I bit back a smile and turned to look over my shoulder at him, moving my hand between my legs again and moaning at the contact.

"Don't test me, Bella," he growled deep in his throat, causing me to begin moving my fingers briskly over my clit. I could feel the rapid building of my orgasm but I tried to keep my face relaxed, needing my release so badly.

"Stop. Stop now," he demanded, but I was so close, I could almost taste it. My pulse was pounding in my ears, my breaths coming in quickening pants. "I mean it, stop _now_!"

"Fuck!" I screamed in frustration and fell to the side on the couch. He'd just proven the validity of his statement; he knew my body by sight alone, despite my efforts to mask my responses. And because of that, able to leave me writhing in need.

"You want me to fuck you, don't you?" he asked and I could actually hear the almost cocky smile I knew him to be wearing. "Show me how bad you want it."

My head fell back and I closed my eyes, biting my lip hard as I brought my legs up, resting my feet on the cushion and letting my knees fall to the side.

"Show. Me," he gritted through audibly clenched teeth and I shuddered at the sound, moving my hand between my legs and sliding two fingers inside me. "Start moving them."

I raised my eyes to look directly at the cam as they began to move, and I panted as my thumb rubbed in circles around my clit. My hips moved against my hand in response and I pleaded with my eyes for release.

"Harder. I'd be fucking you harder than that. I _will_ be fucking you harder than that," he growled back, but his voice shook slightly, as it did when his orgasm was imminent.

In that moment, with his words ringing in my head, it suddenly became real to me. In just seven short days, I would actually touch him, smell him, _feel_ him. I sighed in relief and began thrusting harder and deeper, knowing my wait would soon be over. The pit of my stomach was on fire, the muscles in my thighs clenched tightly. _Come on, Edward. Please._

"Are you ready?" he asked breathlessly and I nodded quickly, teetering on the edge, needing just that final push to fall over. "Come for me, Bella."

"Holy fucking shit!" I screamed as my back arched sharply with a final thrust of my fingers and flick of my thumb. My body trembled violently as my orgasm gripped me and my chest heaved with labored breaths as his groan joined mine.

I collapsed sideways onto the couch, trying to catch my breath as it subsided. The room was spinning around me and I felt lightheaded, but so completely satiated after two long weeks away from him.

"Baby, are you okay?" Edward's voice came through and knowing that my face was out of the view of the cam, I held up one finger, needing just another minute to recuperate.

I turned my head toward the table and smiled as his ringtone sounded on my phone. Rolling onto my side, I reached for it and brought it to my ear. "Oh my god."

He chuckled at my greeting. "Have I won you over then?"

I let out a breathy laugh at his teasing and shook my head. "I think it's safe to say there is _no_ contest. And that is _definitely_ getting a repeat performance in New York. With one exception."

"What's that?" he asked curiously.

I finally sat up and looked into the webcam. "I'm not turning back around next time."

**x-x-x**

Saying goodnight to Edward that night was difficult, more so than any other time we'd had to be apart. I had thought it would be easier, since I would be _actually_ seeing him in a week's time; but I was wrong.

The anticipation of the following week made the time in Forks for Christmas drag, although I did get a text from him every night with a smiley kiss. Cheesy? Definitely, but never failed to make me smile. And when I crawled into bed after spending all of Christmas day with my parents and friends, I re-read his text from a few hours before.

_See you tomorrow, baby. Sweet dreams. :* ~E_

Kissing my father on the cheek when he dropped me off at the airport for my early morning flight, excitement filled me as I hurried inside. My stomach fluttered with butterflies and anxiety as the plane began its slow descent into JFK International Airport. Even with the relatively short period of anticipation, it felt as if that moment had taken forever to arrive. And once it finally had, I felt more nervous about it than any other experience with him.

The worst he could have done before this was turn off the computer and never come back. My first time stripping for him wasn't nearly as nerve-wracking. I hadn't been as emotionally invested then as I had become since. And in less than twenty minutes, he would be standing right in front of me.

What was I going to do, or say, or feel? Everything had been so easy over the internet, but would the connection and the chemistry between us be the same in person? Or even worse, one-sided once we were face-to-face?

As the plane taxied in, my heart began to pound invariably harder, as I gripped my carry-on tightly against my chest. I took a shaky breath as the seatbelt light turned off and the captain announced our arrival, sliding the strap of my bag over my shoulder.

I slowly rose and made my way down the aisle, nodding to the flight attendant as she bid me goodbye with a polite smile. And walking up the ramp, I suddenly felt like a lamb being led to the slaughter.

_Calm down, it's going to be fine, Bella,_ I kept reassuring myself as I walked past terminal gate after terminal gate, closer and closer to my destination.

Moving along with the crowd toward baggage claim, my eyes began moving anxiously around the groups of people gathered on the either side. Even rising up on my toes to try to see the slightest hint of him, but he was nowhere to be found.

He _had_ to be there. There was no way he would send me a plane ticket just to stand me up in the middle of New York. I tried to calm myself, attempting to draw deeper breaths into my lungs.

Yet, even as I entered the baggage claim, I stood there lost, unable to find him.

Just as I felt the tears beginning to form, I heard a commotion beyond the group of people in front of me.

"Bella!"

I looked up at the sound of my name, my eyes searching frantically for the source. The voice grew louder and I spotted him, finally moving hastily through the crowd toward me.

My breath shuddered slightly as I began taking tentative steps toward him, relieved and just taking him in. The webcam had done nothing to prepare me for the true beauty of the man himself.

He was taller than I had expected, but everything else about him was absolutely perfect. His hair that I had dreamed of running my fingers through was in its usual state, though slightly more disheveled. Stopping just a few feet from me to catch his breath, his lips turned up into a smile.

"Well, hello there," he panted.

At the sound of his voice, I dropped my bag where I stood, taking two steps and instantly swept into his arms. I smiled as the light scruff of his jaw brushed against my cheek when he lifted me off the ground. My arms clung tightly around his shoulders as his strong ones embraced me securely around the waist.

I was in heaven; inhaling the clean, masculine scent of him at last, feeling his breath in my hair while my lips ghosted softly over the skin of his neck.

"God, I'm so glad you're finally here," he murmured and slowly pulled his head back, gazing at me for a moment before finally pressing his lips against mine in a firm, yet still gentle kiss. I wove my fingers into his hair, holding him against me and relishing in this moment I had been dreaming of for so long. He was there, in my arms, and I felt a tear of relief trail down my cheek. Resting his forehead against mine as we parted, I opened my eyes to see him gazing back, never loosening his hold around me. "Sorry I'm late."


	9. New York, New York

**Late Night Encounters 9 ~ New York, New York**

"Damn it!" I cursed loudly, slamming my hand against the steering wheel while the other propped my head up. I could see nothing but glow of red break lights up ahead; the traffic on Grand Central Parkway stalled for at least a mile. It was only 3:30; her plane didn't land for another half hour, but if the traffic didn't move, I was going to be late. I had left the hotel early to avoid that exact situation.

I glanced down at the clock, rubbing my temple with my fingertips, frustrated.

_So close, yet still so far away._

I felt the nervousness creep in. In a half an hour, she would be with me, in the flesh. No miles or technology between us, and I could hold her, touch her, kiss her…

The last week had passed so damn slow, with nothing more than texts between us. I wanted her to spend time with her family, but the selfish part of me missed her so damn much. We'd only had one night together after an entire week apart before she left for Forks—but what a fucking night.

Before that, it had been a week of hardly being able to talk to her or hearing her sweet voice.

Without seeing her beautiful face.

Without her smile.

And how would things between us be in person? That nagging doubt slipped under my confidence again. I had run it over in my mind in random tangents for weeks, but it was hitting me with a blunt force, only a few miles from being with her.

Even with the distance between us, there was already a discernible difference in Bella during one of our 'encounters' and the Bella during casual conversation. She still had her sexy appeal, but her youthful innocence lay beneath the surface.

That very thought reminded me of our last encounter. She had been far more free and relaxed than I'd ever seen her. Moving around her kitchen in a casual tank top and a pair of panties, and she'd never looked more beautiful.

And so tempting.

What I wouldn't have given to be in that kitchen with her, sliding my arms around her waist, kissing her long beautiful neck, enjoying something as simple as making dinner together.

Yet when she began to tease me, my train of thought shifted. Although I knew she was joking, I felt the possessiveness in me emerge; the animalistic urge to take her right there in that kitchen.

I could feel myself hardening at the memory of her complying with my every demand, without the ability even to see me. Where I'd found it in me to be so dominating, I'd never know. But as she bent over the couch at my command, her legs spread and lust in her eyes as she looked over her shoulder at me, one thing was abundantly clear.

She liked it.

I wanted nothing more in that moment than to grab those perfect hips and bury myself deep inside her. Make her cry out my name in ecstasy and completely lose myself in her as well.

In what was _mine_. She craved me just as much as I craved her. Watching her orgasm that night, even without the luxury of hearing her, I knew she desired me.

At least in LA.

But what about there in New York? Would we feel as natural together as we did from a distance?

Over the previous few weeks, it had been very easy for us to discuss our desire to be together physically; but there were still miles between us, not feet or inches. Would she be the same Bella from our last night together, bold and brazen? Or would the reality of it all strike her, too, causing her to retreat to the shy, timid girl I had seen in the past?

Looking down at the time again, I groaned.

_3:45._

I had moved a single car length in the last fifteen minutes, which was not helping my unease. I wanted to be there waiting for her the moment she entered baggage claim, and the only image I could manage to conjure in my head was her standing there, alone and stranded.

That would make for a horrible first impression. How could I expect her to feel comfortable and confident with me if I couldn't even manage to be on time for something we'd been planning for weeks?

"Come the fuck _on_!" I yelled out to no one, my frustration reaching new heights as the cars gradually began to move at a snail's pace.

_3:55_

The clock was fucking taunting me as I finally reached the exit. It had taken twenty-five minutes for a mile and a half—all because there was an accident just beyond the exit for the airport. Those assholes really needed to look up the definition of '_merge_'.

Once I was finally in the clear, I stepped on the gas, racing as fast as I could toward the airport. Even once I arrived, I still needed to park and get inside, then try finding her in the massive expanse of JFK.

_4:05_

_Fuck! _Her plane had most likely already landed and I was still searching for one goddamn parking space, anxious to get out. The confines of the interior were smothering.

I'd spent the better part of the day before in that car. After spending Christmas Eve in Evanston with my parents, I had opted to drive to New York rather than fly, preferring my own car to rentals whenever possible. Yet right at that particular moment, my car was the _last _place I wanted to be.

When at last I had found a spot, I hurried out of the garage and toward the doors of the terminal, checking my watch.

_4:15_

I perused the arrival screen as I approached it and I found her flight easily, as if it were the only one there.

**Seattle - Southwest - 2231 - 4:01 - Arrived**

_She's already here._

Weaving my way through the holiday travelers, I checked the screen above each conveyor belt I passed until I finally found her flight number.

My eyes searched frantically through the crowd until my gaze caught the unique shade of chestnut hair falling down a petite woman's back. My heart skipped a beat; my palms were sweating. It was Bella…

"Excuse me," I panted heavily to the couple in front of me, navigating, still catching my breath from running to get there. I squeezed myself between the crowd until I finally caught a glimpse of her face. She looked as if she was about to cry. "Bella!"

Her eyes shot immediately in the direction of my voice, her features visibly relaxing as our eyes met. That was a moment I swore I would remember for the rest of my life. I couldn't have imagined her more beautiful or perfect, right down to biting that full lower lip of hers.

She began taking slow steps toward me as I continued maneuvering through the relentless crowd of people, unable to get to her fast enough. Until finally, we stood just a few feet from each other.

"Well, hello there," I breathed out heavily, breaking the still silence between us.

She was actually there, standing in front of me. It felt so surreal. Despite the anticipation of the moment over the past few weeks, we stood gazing at each other silently.

In that instant, her bag fell from her shoulder and onto the floor, and I'd barely had the chance to take a step forward before she was in my arms. Her soft hair grazed my face as she clung around my shoulders. I lifted her off the ground, trying to pull her closer. She trembled slightly in my embrace, whether from nervousness or excitement, I wasn't sure. She felt so good in my arms, so petite. Unsure whether to kiss her, I tightened my hold, speaking softly in her ear.

"God, I'm so glad you're finally here."

Pulling my head back to look at her, our eyes locked again. I had thought of nothing but finally holding her for so long and I allowed us both a moment to absorb it before I couldn't resist her any longer.

The instant our lips touched, I felt it, felt her, felt the connection. Sighing contentedly when she didn't pull away, I pressed forward again; the feel of her fingers into my hair was like nothing else.

Elation rushed through me—she wasn't retreating into her shell. She seemed equally as relieved to be there with me.

We slowly parted and I rested my forehead against hers, her hand remaining in my hair. My fears were completely irrational, and it was then that I knew we would be okay. It was almost as if we were old lovers, soaking it all in and making up for lost years rather than days apart.

I gazed at her, noticing a wet trail running down her cheek. The last thing I wanted her to do that week was cry—for any reason.

"Sorry I'm late," I said, brushing a kiss against her cheek and her hand tightened in my hair.

"You're here now, that's all that matters," she smiled, pressing her lips against mine again, tracing them with her tongue. We both groaned softly as the kiss deepened and I instantly felt my body reacting to the contact between us.

The sound of the conveyor belt starting up brought us back to reality. Not that I the staring eyes bothered me, but her cheeks flush from the attention and her fingers twirled nervously at the ends of my hair.

"Let's get your bags and get out of here." I smiled as she nodded, and I set her back down. Grabbing her carry-on from the floor, I was hoisting it over my shoulder when the feeling of her fingers sliding into mine surprised me. I brought my gaze back to meet hers, feeling the impact of such a simple gesture.

Kissing her and holding her had exceeded everything I'd ever imagined, but something as simple as her long, slender fingers wrapping securely around my hand sent a raging need through me. Her eyes holding the same desire to be alone, her head resting against my arm—all showed tenderness I hadn't expected. Her other hand slid through my arm as if she couldn't get close enough.

"There's mine," she said suddenly, pointing toward the endless line of bags moving past us to a bright pink one with a silver ribbon on the handle. "Don't even start. I _hate_ pink, but it's easy to find in a sea of black and brown."

I chuckled softly at her response before I could even comment, grabbing it off the belt and looking over to her. "Just one bag?"

"I'm really not all that extravagant," she shrugged. "And with all the traveling between Washington and California, I've become an expert packer."

I released her hand as we began walking toward the exit, and instead, wrapped my arm around her shoulders. She smiled, encircling my waist with hers until we reached the car.

"You _actually_ own an Aston," she whispered in disbelief, her eyes moving along the length of the car. Smiling, I disarmed the alarm and opened the door.

"What makes you think I didn't just rent it?" I smirked and broke into a laugh as she rolled her eyes.

"With Illinois plates?" she retorted with a quirked eyebrow.

"Observant, but I could've rented it in Chicago," I pointed out, ready to join her side. Stepping to her, I bent down to brush her lips gently with mine, feeling the warmth of her skin as her hands slid around my neck. We couldn't keep our hands off each other.

Of all the scenarios I had envisioned for that moment, that certainly wasn't it; not that I was complaining. The electricity racing between us was profound, more than I could have ever imagined. There was no building up or easing into it all; the connection was instantaneous.

"And what would be the point in that?" she asked.

"I could just be trying to impress you," I shrugged, staring at her full lips, so pretty and pink this close.

"Bit late for that," she mumbled softly before her lips sealed over mine.

Again, we were kissing as if the world around us didn't exist. My hands rested on the roof of the car on either side of her as she leaned back, gripping the front of my jacket in her fists, a soft moan escaping her. She felt so good, so warm—such a contrast to the biting chill to the New York air around us.

I had to force myself to pull away, breathing heavily from our heated kiss and my eyes remaining closed for a moment as I attempted to calm myself. "I think we should get in the car."

"I agree," she whispered breathlessly, loosening her grip and running her hands down my chest and abdomen. She kissed me gently once more before stepping back, lowering herself into the car.

Closing the door behind her, I hurried around to the driver's side to get in and let out a slow breath before starting the engine. I could smell her perfume, soft and floral, teasing. I nearly asked her the brand, when her hand reached over, resting on my thigh, running her thumb over the denim. The surprising gesture and the nerves of the moment made me shudder, a reaction she observed.

"If you're that out of breath from just a kiss, maybe you should cut back on the cancer sticks."

"Thought they didn't bother you," I teased, shifting into gear.

"They don't," she shrugged, gazing at me. "Just saying, if a _kiss_ leaves you _that_ winded..."

"Must be the effect you have on me," I smiled. "Since I quit two weeks ago."

Her hand stilled on my leg and her eyes widened, sitting up straighter in her seat. "You what?"

"Thank you," I nodded to the attendant and rolled up the window, pulling out of the garage. "I quit a few days after you agreed to come to New York."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked excitedly, her smile brightening her entire face. "I mean, I'm glad you quit even if it _didn't_ bother me. That's incredible. But why?"

"I've tried to quit before, obviously not very successfully and I wanted to make sure I could do it before I said anything. But the five minutes I take smoking a cigarette is five minutes I'd rather be spending with you," I replied as the line of cars in front of us slowed and came to a stop. "And _that's_ what I'm here for."

With that, she leaned across the console and gently kissed my cheek, resting her head on my shoulder as her hand began its movement on my leg again. "Thank you. That means a lot to me, Edward."

The remainder of the drive back to the hotel was far smoother than the ride in, and we talked about her week back home and her flight. Even with the chaos of the city, it was relaxing to have her so close, to feel her next to me. As we drove, I breathed her in covertly, the scent of her perfume or her hair or _something_ … was delicious. I had imagined the way she would smell so many times, but it had never been like that. **  
**  
And during the drive, I was aching to touch her, cursing the manual transmission in my car.

Finally, we came to a stop at the hotel, her soft gasp drawing my attention to the side of her face. The soft lines of her neck…

"Is this where we're staying?" she asked in an astonished whisper, her eyes wide with excitement. "Right in Times Square?"

"You like it?" I chuckled at her exuberant smile, leaning over to kiss her gently before departing for her bags. That innocent wonder was back and I loved it.

She stepped out of the car, staring up at the colossal front of the Marriott Marquis, taking tentative steps toward the entrance. Quickly paying the valet, I caught up to her and she took my hand while in awe of the building.

"This is ... _amazing_," she whispered. "I don't even have the words." The fact that she approved made me happy; made me feel like we were already on the right track.

I brought her hand to my lips and kissed it gently, her gaze finally meeting mine.

"Come on, I'll show you our room," I said, my tone even, though the excitement was pure.

I wasn't sure if it was her nerves or the splendor, but Bella fidgeted nervously on the way up to the room, holding my hand securely in the crowded elevator until we reached our floor. Once more, that possessive side of me enjoyed her embrace, relished her hand in mine. And more than anything, I couldn't wait to get her alone.

"Close your eyes," I murmured in her ear as we stood outside the door of the room, lightly kissing the skin just below it and feeling her shiver.

Bella eyed me warily as I straightened before she finally complied. The suite was exquisite and if she loved the building, I knew she'd going to _love_ the room as well. I unlocked the door, setting her bags just inside, leading her across the darkened room. The window was my target, so gently I guided her to the far wall, pulling back the curtains swiftly.

"Okay, open them," I said softly. She gasped and covered her lips with her fingers, gazing down at a thriving Times Square. And just as I'd wanted to do when she was flitting around that kitchen, I came to stand behind her, resting my hands on her waist. I was touching her.

"Oh my god, Edward. This is beautiful. Now I _really_ don't know what to say," she whispered, her eager eyes taking in all the sights.

"Say you like it," I replied, tightening my arms around her waist. I was holding her.

Bella's face turned sideways, her hand rising to my cheek. "I love it. I couldn't have imagined anything more incredible. Thank you."

My heart soared at her admiration, at her touch.

"You're welcome," I smiled, kissing her gently and running my hands along her sides. "Let's get you unpacked and have some dinner. I made reservations for 6:00 upstairs."

Tilting her head slightly, she raised her lips to mine and brushed them gently in agreement, her eyes slipping closed. Turning slowly in my arms, she looked up at me uncertainly. She wanted me.

"We have a whole week, Bella," I said gently, brushing her cheek with the backs of my fingers. "And I really think you'll like where I'm taking you."

Her smile returned and her arms wrapped around my waist, hugging me against her and resting her cheek on my chest. She laughed, that sound more delightful than anything I'd heard in such a long time. "I'm actually really hungry. I'm just gonna take a shower and change. I won't be long."

"We still have plenty of time," I chuckled, kissing her once more before we parted, hesitantly letting her go. She already looked amazing, even if she was dressed in a simple button-down and dark blue, low-rise jeans. She moved across the room and leaned over to retrieve her bag, her shirt raising up her back a little and causing me to regret making dinner reservations so soon after her arrival slightly.

_We have a whole week,_ I repeated, to myself that time as she smiled over her shoulder and disappeared into the bathroom. Standing still in the wake of her presence, I listened, still in shock and awe and … in a state of something I couldn't describe. Soon, the sound of the shower emanated from beyond the door.

As I remained stationary for a moment, I realized that would be the night. Her gaze said it all and I wanted her, too. We were finally alone after weeks of waiting, of anticipating. But even with the desire radiating between us, I had no intention of simply jumping into bed with her. I wanted to enjoy and relish every moment.

I would get to hold her, hear her soft moans and whimpers in my ear, and feel her body beside me. In the morning, I would wake to the sight of her beautiful face on my pillow.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed facing the bathroom door and hearing the water shut off, it hit me fully. She was actually there; _I _was actually there. Something that I never would have thought plausible just a few months before; coming hundreds of miles to New York, to meet a woman I'd happened upon on the internet.

But she was so much more than that.

She was everything that I could have ever wanted in a woman. Naturally, she was beautiful, even more so than what her webcam had displayed. Yet she was also intelligent and so full of life, challenging me rather than placating. Understanding and patient. She was perfect.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I barely realized time had passed, that I had dressed absently. Hearing the bathroom door open startled me.

"What do you think?" her voice caught my attention and my eyes rose to her. She removed the clip from her hair and it cascaded down onto her shoulders, my gaze following it to the knee-length black dress hugging her body, down to her shapely legs and black strap heels. She was fucking sexy.

"I think," I started, standing up and moving toward her, taking her hands and holding them out to look her over again. "That I am exceedingly under-dressed."

Her eyes ran over my simple white button-down and my black jeans, and bit her lip as she looked back up at me. "Should I change again?"

I shook my head vehemently, pulling her to me and kissing her neck. "Not a chance. You look absolutely stunning."

I reclaimed her hand in mine as she blushed slightly and tucked her hair behind her ear, sliding the keycard in my back pocket and guiding her out the door.

We took the elevator up to the top floor, and her hand tightened around mine again when we finally entered the rooftop restaurant. _I could get used to that, _I thought to myself.

"Okay, if this is you trying to impress me, I have to say, you're extremely successful," she chuckled as her eyes flickered across the beautiful view outside the windows.

"This is me trying to feed you after a long day on a plane. When was the last time you ate?" I asked as we stood in line, raising my eyebrow as I looked down at her.

"I don't eat plane food, or airport, for that matter," she replied, folding her arms over her chest.

My arm slid around her waist, squeezing gently. "My point exactly."

She laughed softly as I kissed her hair freely, smelling the floral scent again. It was her shampoo, I decided.

Once we seated, the low light of the candles on the table made her glow. I couldn't take my gaze off of her. Her eyes were alight as she took in the view from below, the city lights seemingly entrancing her.

"What kind of wine would you like?" I asked, reaching across the table for her hand.

She startled slightly, her gaze abruptly torn from the window, looking up at the server beside me suddenly and then to me. "White zinfandel for me, please."

I nodded to him, and returned my eyes to her. "Really not much of a drinker, are you?"

She shook her head quickly. "No, I thought we cleared that up a long time ago. Look at the things I do when I drink."

I laughed as she squeezed my hand before taking the menu. "So, now you're complaining about that?"

"Shut up," she rolled her eyes as she glanced up at me briefly. "You know I'm not."

"So what did you tell your parents and friends about your sudden trip to New York?" I asked her as the wine arrived, fairly certain that she would not have told anyone about me.

Taking her first sip of wine, she broke eye contact. "I didn't."

My glass paused at my lips, gazing at her in disbelief. "What do you mean, you didn't? _No one_ knows where you are?"

She shrugged slightly and sighed. "No. I didn't know how I would explain this. This is something that is _so_ out of character for me that they would automatically question it. And my father would have locked me away in my room if I told him that I was coming across country to meet a man I met on the internet. Let alone how _we_ met."

"But _no one_, Bella? Do you have any concept of how reckless that is?" I whispered seriously, her eyes finally meeting mine. "What if something happened to you? What if I wasn't who I said I was, and was actually some crazed internet stalker?"

"You're not," she replied firmly, taking a sip of her wine.

She opened her mouth to say something more, but I stopped her before she could speak. How could she underestimate the enormity of something like that? If I had been anyone else, she could have been stranded there, alone. Just the image of that in my mind set my heart pounding and fists clenching. She could have been hurt, or worse.

"No, even though I am not a crazed stalker, what if something had happened on the way here and you had never made it. Then what would happen? What if I'd never shown up at the airport? Then what would your family and friends think? They would never know what happened to you."

"Edward … I'm here and safe with you, so where's the problem?" she asked in a flustered voice, setting her wine glass down on the table.

"How are you so sure you're safe with me?" I retorted with a raised brow, crossing my arms in front of me.

"Simple equation," she replied, her shoulders relaxing as she folded her hands under her chin. "You already had me alone, in the hotel room—in the shower, no less. What better opportunity would you have had?"

I sighed. She was right. "Okay, so you have a point. But you should call your parents and let them know you're alright."

"And say what? That I've decided to escape the insanity of LA for New Year's by heading for _New York?_" she asked sarcastically, chuckling. I gazed at her, not amused. Her arm reached across the table to touch mine, and took my hand.

"I'm twenty-two years old, Edward. I call my parents maybe once a month, unless it's a holiday. It'll be fine."

The tension between us slowly began to dissipate as I closed my fingers around hers. "I just wish you'd be more careful, baby."

"I know, but I wouldn't have come across country all alone if I didn't trust you implicitly. I do have _some_ sense of self preservation, you know."

Perhaps she was right. She was a college student, smart and capable. Was I over-reacting? I rubbed over the backs of her fingers with my thumb for a moment before releasing it, deciding to let the topic drop.

The conversation over dinner was light and quick, the atmosphere humming with her presence. I couldn't stop staring at her mouth when she talked, took a sip of wine or ate. She was so beautiful.

Once we finished, we made our way back to the room, each of us still buzzing from our easy conversation. It wasn't until we stepped into the elevator that my heart began to race. She was close, but moved toward me when the doors closed. Slipping my hands along the soft material of her dress, I pulled her closer as she kissed me.

And all the longing I had for her hit me at once, but there was no time for escalating. The elevator dinged and we separated, the light flush of her cheeks showing me all I needed to see. We were both ready—it was just a matter of time.

"I forgot to thank you for remembering not to shave," she whispered as we exited the elevator, walking toward our room. The silence of the hallway was oppressive, my heart beating faster as I stepped to the door.

"You have the strangest fixations," I chuckled, sliding the keycard in the door and unlocking it.

"It's sexy. Very masculine. And looks _really_ good on you," she replied, sliding her fingers in-between two of the buttons of my shirt and pulling me to her as she backed into the room.

Oh, it was happening. Snapshots of our encounters moved in and out of my memory, paling in comparison to then. To her touch. To her warmth, her scent, her closeness. To the real Bella. Her hands slid up my chest and linked behind my neck, pressing her body against mine and tilting her head back slightly. "Kiss me, Edward."

I hardly heard the door thudding closed; the kiss she asked for was all I could feel and taste. She sighed gently against my lips, stepping closer; the friction of her stomach against my erection caused us both to groan.

Unbuttoning my shirt, the anxious need we could feel from one another became tangible. Backing her up, my shirt fell and her legs hit the edge of the bed, the tempo of our lust moving faster and faster.

"I want you. _Now,_" she whispered against my lips, hooking her leg around mine as she lowered my zipper.

_Yes _… was all I could think as she touched me.

My hand slid along her thigh, underneath her skirt and hitching it higher, until my fingers brushed the bare skin of her ass. _No panties?_

"You were like this the whole time?" I growled huskily at the thought of her casually sitting across from me the entire evening at dinner with nothing underneath that dress.

"The whole ... time ..." she purred causing my cock to harden further, grasping my erection through my boxers.

I could only groan in response to her words and touch, feeling the warmth of her hand along my cock through the fabric. Finally, she was touching me, and I was touching her.

I kissed along her neck and across her shoulder, pulling aside the strap and trailing my fingers along the exposed skin of her shoulder blade. Reaching the zipper at the middle of her back, I slid it down.

Her fingertips brushed along my abdomen and chest, and then pulled her arms through the straps of her dress, never taking her eyes off me. As it pooled onto the floor at our feet, she lowered herself to lie back on the bed, her dark hair fanning over the light colored bedding beneath her.

I had seen her naked many times on the web cam, but nothing compared to seeing her in front of me. There was absolutely no way I would be able to keep my hands off her tonight, or all week for that matter.

I knelt down beside the bed at her feet eagerly, kissing along her inner thigh as they parted more, my fingers teasing the sensitive skin around her clit. She squirmed and whimpered, lifting her hips off the bed as my lips moved closer.

"Please, Edward, don't fucking tease," she panted, her fingers weaving into my hair, tugging me to look at her. "Fuck me now."

"You sure about that?" I taunted, brushing my lips lightly over her clit, causing her back to arch.

"Positive," she gritted through clenched teeth, her hands pulling me closer.

"Patience is a virtue, you know," I murmured softly, circling my tongue and then closing my mouth around her, sucking lightly at her skin. I was finally tasting her.

"And an overrated one at that," she growled, sitting up suddenly and taking my face in her hands.

Tugging my lip gently with her teeth, she whispered, "The pants need to go. Now."

I groaned as she mumbled 'now' against my lips. I wanted her so badly, the push and drive to make her mine was overwhelming.

"And everything that is underneath them," she grinned, gazing up at me as her fingers hooked inside my boxers and tugged, lowering them over my hips. Leaning up further, she came closer, her tongue snaking out, lightly grazing the underside of my length.

Her lips wrapped around me and I could hardly think. My breath shook as her soft fingers stroked firmly, her mouth hot and wet, as my pants fell around my ankles. The feeling was indescribable, but I needed to be inside her—to feel her finally after so long just imagining.

Freeing myself of my pants and shoes, I reached over to the nightstand and grabbed one of the foil packets I'd placed in the drawer. The moment she heard it, she stopped lying back on the bed and resting her head on the pillow as I opened it, her eyes never leaving my hands as I rolled the condom on.

"Baby, don't make me wait," she whimpered, her hand reaching out and her eyes meeting mine. "I've already waited so long."

My eyes met hers, the words playing over in my ears. She _had_ waited, we'd _both_ waited. From the first words we'd typed, everything had been building up to that moment. Everything we'd talked and fantasized about, was all becoming a reality.

I finally crawled up her body, sealing my lips over hers as I lowered myself onto her. Warm, soft skin and the scent of her enveloped everything.

Her hands clung to my shoulders as I slowly began entering her, moaning against my lips until I slid inside her fully. Her back arched against me and her head fell back into the pillows, her lips parted in a gasp.

"Oh my fucking god," she breathed out heavily as her palms pressed against my back; the rush it gave me was indescribable. She wanted me in the most primal of ways, _needed_ me.

It was more than anything I'd ever envisioned. Every touch, every sound she made, and the feeling of being inside her after all that time was more than any fantasy I'd ever conjured.

I wasn't imagining her running her fingers through my hair, her hips eagerly meeting my thrusts. Her rapid pulse against my lips as I kissed along her neck, her breasts pressing to my chest with every breath. She was _here_.

"I'm actually touching you," I whispered in amazement, moving slowly within her as I spoke, the realization more powerful than before.

"Faster. Please, I need you," she murmured wantonly, kissing my jaw as her nails dragged along my back. _Oh fuck, those words were hot, whispered in my ear_.

Hitching her leg higher on my hip, I began thrusting against her more fervently, driving myself deeper, giving in to her request. The muscles in her thigh tightened as she cried out in response, hissing between clenched teeth. I wanted to feel her come around me, to know in the midst of orgasm that my _body_ had given her pleasure, not my words.

"God! So good. Fuck, Edward!" Her eyes opened and locked with mine intently, her hand gripping the back of my neck. Her gaze was fierce and more aroused than I had ever seen it. But even in the dim lighting of the room, I knew that look.

She was close. _Very_ close.

Determined, I concentrated, feeling her hand sliding between us, but I didn't want that. I wanted it to be _me_. Trailing down her abdomen, I hit her deeper, halting her hand with my own and holding her wrist over her head.

"No," I said simply, breathing heavily, her muscles tightening in frustration around my cock. Groaning, I focused again on my angle, on hitting that spot I'd watched her hit on her own.

"I need it. Please. So close," she whimpered desperately, her hips rolling up against mine. Fuck… I wanted to hold her still, to hit my stride, to show her.

"You'll get it, baby. I'm not stopping until you do," I murmured against her lips, kissing her gently. "But _I_'_m_ going to give it to you."

She groaned loudly as her fingers folded with mine, gripping my hand tightly.

"I can't ... without it …" she panted wildly, pinching her eyes closed and writhing beneath me.

Shifting my hips, I thrust upward firmly.

"Yes, you can," I whispered in her ear, my hips moving against hers gradually faster. She gasped and I knew I'd hit the rhythm she needed. Our encounters had afforded me the benefit of her secrets and I was using them at that moment.

Thrusting faster, her calf pressed against the back of my thigh, tightening her hold around me. "I'm inside you, Bella. After all this time, all this waiting, we're here. And _I'm_ going to make you come."

And I was right. She was getting closer and closer … just a little more.

"Oh god, oh god," she gasped, her head rolling back into the pillow as my thrust grew more insistent.

She felt so fucking good. Never had I been with a woman that completely consumed me like she did. Everything from the way she felt around me to the smooth skin of her leg as it moved along mine, the smell of her hair and the sweet, salty taste of her skin. I could lose myself in her forever and it still didn't seem as if it would be enough.

"Let me feel you, baby. Come for me," I heaved with my lips against her hair. I was so fucking close as well, and I needed her to come first.

"Please ... let me ..." she moaned softly, squeezing my hand.

"No. You're so close, Bella. So close," I growled, my teeth pinching lightly on her earlobe in restraint.

"Oh fuck, yes. Shit!" she cried out loudly. I felt her then, felt her coming around my cock, clenching tight and hot. Moaning, I gazed down at her, watching her face as her lips parted and her eyes rolled back. Her neck and back arched as her body trembled beneath me.

_God, she was fucking beautiful._

Her eyes gazed up at me as her orgasm began slowly subsiding.

"Your turn," she panted, her voice still strained, her hands tightening in my hair and her legs wrapped around me. She was holding me, telling me to come for her … and I wanted to. "Let _me _feel _you_."

My forehead fell to hers and it was over. The rush of my release consumed everything; the pleasure, the reminder that I was inside of her left me breathless.

"Fuck," I strangled out as I came hard, more intensely than all of our online experiences combined. Her moans with each wave of my orgasm heightened the sensations. I could sense her satisfaction that she'd made me come, too.

As we lay breathing heavily in the aftermath, the only movement between us was her fingertips tracing lightly along the back of my neck.

I didn't want to move or think or feel anything but her, as if she would disappear. Everything was so perfect right there in that room.

And it was only the first night...


	10. Here in New York

**A/N: Hello all and Happy Valentine's day! This chapter was originally supposed to be a lot longer, but after a bit of arm-twisting by tby789, I decided to post this for you all. As soon as this is posted, I will go back to writing the remainder of this chapter and hoping to have the remainder of it posted very shortly. The next chapter will probably be split between EPOV and BPOV, and will be quite a bit longer than this (and most of the chapters in general), and encompass more of E & B's time in New York.**

**Hope you all enjoy, and again Happy V-day! xo**

**Dawn**

**Late Night Encounters 10 ~ Here in New York**

Staring at the ceiling and still attempting to catch my breath, a smile spread across my lips as the reality of it all set in.

I was there. In New York. With Edward.

For the past two weeks, I had been building up the anticipation of that day and what it would be like. Seeing him for the first time, spending time with him, _being_ with him in that way; so fearful that nothing would live up to my expectations and I'd be left disappointed.

Yet, Edward had been everything I'd expected and more, and I couldn't see a way that he could be any _more_ perfect in my eyes. It all started with the airport, how he seemed as desperate to feel and touch me as I was for him. That first kiss was absolute bliss, as was each one that followed, but it was more than that. Nothing felt like a 'first'; no nervousness or easing into things, and I couldn't stop touching him. I actually wanted nothing more than to feel him against me and consume me completely when we finally got to the hotel.

It was a simple room, yet so beautiful and the view was enough to bring tears to my eyes. I was staring right down into the heart of Times Square. That in itself must have cost a fortune, and I probably should have felt a little guilty. Instead, I only felt insanely happy and grateful, and if at all possible, it served to make me want him even more. There was almost a childlike giddiness about him through it all that I'd never seen, his eyes sparkling even in the dimming light of the room. I'd never seen anyone so intent on my happiness before, and I would have been a fool to _not_ appreciate it.

Even the case of his slightly overbearing protectiveness at dinner was somewhat endearing. He cared about my safety, about me—for my being in New York, with someone technically little more than a stranger and no one else knowing, to be an issue and to confront it. However, Edward had never once felt like a 'stranger' to me from the moment that I spotted him coming through the crowd toward me. And though he seemed surprised by my comfort level with him, and my declaration of feeling safe with him, he allowed the topic to rest.

All through dinner, conversation flowed so naturally, it was almost unnerving. The one thing I had _not_ expected was for everything to be so easy—no lulls, no tension, no awkward silences. It was as simple as if we were talking on the phone, rather than face-to-face. Where I could feel him holding my hand over the table, watch every movement of his mouth as he spoke, inhale the scent of his aftershave and see every speck of stubble lining his jaw that the webcam tended to blend together.

Only when we were heading back to the room did I begin to feel even a hint of tension between us, but it was not unwelcome. It was something that we had both been waiting for and the moment the doors to the elevator closed, I couldn't resist the temptation anymore. I needed to feel his arms around me, his lips against mine, and the desire from him that I'd only gotten a glimpse of earlier; and again, I wasn't disappointed. I felt a warmth spread through me as he kissed me with more passion than anything I'd ever felt before, even with our numerous kisses before that. I hesitantly pulled away from him when the elevator signaled our arrival to our floor, and gazed at him expectantly for a moment before we were making our way down the hall to our room.

I was ready, and I couldn't get him in the room fast enough.

Yet, the moment I felt him inside me, I wanted time to stop, to stay with him that way. The feeling was indescribable and the more he gave me, the more I craved. I knew that being with him physically would be unlike anything we'd experienced online, given the intensity of even _those _interactions, but nothing could have prepared me for _that_. The fire inside of me began building quickly and I ached for release. But as I slid my hand between our bodies, his fingers gripped mine and raised them above my head. The frustrated growl halted in my throat, escaping as a whimper, begging him to allow me to come. I'd never done it through sex alone and wanted to feel it with him inside me.

With the slightest shift of his hips, my head felt light and spun as a new wave of sensations began rushing through me. His soft voice whispering in my ear only heightened them, and I begged him one more time to allow me to come, squeezing his hand tightly with mine. I could hear it in his voice and see it in his face as I opened my eyes to glance at him, how close he was—and I was running out of time.

Then, the impossible happened. With a growl, his teeth clenched on my earlobe, a surge of heat shot through my body and exploded into the most powerful orgasm I'd ever felt, by my hand or his words. My vision went black and I clung to him tightly, my entire body rigid as I trembled against his movements.

Before it could completely subside, I wanted to feel him; the orgasm that _my_ body had brought _him_, the way his brought mine.

"Your turn. Let _me _feel _you,_" I breathed out heavily and I watched his forehead creased as it fell to mine, his handsome features contorting as he came. My muscles tightened around him, each wave of his release coaxing a moan from deep in my throat until his movements stilled and his body relaxed on top of mine.

We laid there for an immeasurable time, our breaths ragged and heavy as I lightly traced the skin of his neck with my fingertips. The feel of him against me was, for lack of better words in my post coital thoughts, pure bliss. I'd never wanted that before, the simple pleasure of holding a man after sex.

Yet at that moment, as I glanced to the floor at the light streaming out from underneath the bathroom door, I felt empty without him against me. Shivering slightly, I pulled the comforter from beneath me and covered myself over, burying myself in the warmth our bodies had provided.

"Edward?" I called out toward the door, hearing the running water from the faucet halt.

The light disappeared and the door opened, my smile widening at the sight of his naked form walking toward me. I held my arms out to him as he drew closer and he grinned, lowering his body above me and brushing his lips against mine. "Saving the cold side of the bed for me, huh?"

Tightening my hold around him, I chuckled against his lips and watched the lines around his eyes increase with his smile. "I'm smaller, I chill easily."

"Says the girl who sleeps with her window open, even in the dead of winter," he teased me, peppering kisses around my mouth.

"LA winters are just a bit different than Chicago ones," I whispered softly as his lips began moving along my jaw to my neck.

"How do you know? You've never _been_ to Chicago," he murmured in my ear, his warm hand moving over my arm.

"I've seen pictures. And Chicago is notorious for its cold, snowy winters," I replied pointedly.

"I think you should experience it before you bestow judgment," he said in a teasing tone, biting back a smirk and wiggling his eyebrows as he rolled off me. I groaned discontentedly at the loss of the warmth from his body until he slid under the covers and took me back into his arms.

Turning on my side to face him, I ran my fingers in slow circles on his chest, memorizing the feel of the contours of his muscles. Tilting my head back slightly, I brought my gaze up to meet his. "Is that an invitation?"

His eyes widened a little, and I felt my face heat from my presumptuous statement, bringing my forehead to rest on his shoulder in embarrassment. "If you'd like it to be. I, for one, would definitely not object."

Lifting my eyes again, I gazed at him in surprise. "Really?"

"That shocks you? Why wouldn't I want you to come visit me in Chicago?" he asked, perplexed.

I shrugged slightly, resuming the motions of my fingers on his chest, concentrating heavily on the movements. "I don't know. It's your home, and I don't know what your family or friends would think of me."

He lifted my chin with his fingers and brushed a light kiss on my lips, pulling me closer. "The only friend that matters is the reason we're here. And my parents would be far too thrilled with the presence of a woman in my life to question the hows or whys."

I slid my arm around him as my leg moved between his, pressing my body as close to his as I could, closing my eyes and enjoying his warmth. I wished things could be that simple on my end; that I could feel as if my friends and parents would be as accepting of it. But even with as much as my mother wished for me to find a good man, I knew that neither she or my father would forgo the 'hows or whys' I came across a successful doctor from Chicago. My dad alone had proven his protectiveness of his only daughter by running a background check on every guy I'd had in my life, romantically or otherwise, since high school. And Alice was far too detail oriented to allow me any room for glazing over information. Rose might be a little more understanding of the situation with Edward, but not of my hiding it, now or in the future.

With these thoughts in mind draining me, combined with my already exhausted state and the comforting warmth of Edward's body, I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke a few hours later, I faced away from Edward with his chest pressed against my back, whispering my name as his lips ghosted over my hair. I didn't want to open my eyes for fear that the beautiful dream I'd been having would disappear.

"Bella baby, wake up. You're dreaming," he murmured, his arms tightening gently around my waist.

"I know. So why should I wake up?" I grumbled sleepily, burying my face further into the pillow.

"Because you're thrashing," he said, a trace of concern in his tone; not the voice I'd been hearing only moments before. "You okay?"

I finally opened my eyes to look back at him and smiled, nuzzling my face back into his neck. "Perfect."

"Didn't sound like a very good dream," he whispered, kissing my temple and running his hand over my abdomen under the covers.

"On the contrary," I replied with a smile, lacing my fingers with his and guiding them down between my legs, pressing them against the apparent result of it. "It was a _very_ good dream."

A soft groan erupted from his throat as he pressed his erection against me and began massaging my slickened skin, his lips moving languidly against mine. My hand left his and reached back to thread into his hair, my hips arching back to grind against him and tracing his lips with my tongue. Even after just having been with him only hours before, and for the first time at that, my need for him had only grown. And as our kiss deepened and his tongue slid along mine, I felt his fingers enter me and I parted my legs more in response. I gripped his hair more firmly in my fist as his hand began moving against me, striking my sensitive skin with each pass.

My lips broke from his in a gasp as I felt the tension building, his fingers hitting that delicious spot deep inside me. "Oh God, Edward."

"Are you still on the pill?" he asked in a husky tone, and I could only nod incoherently as my entire body began tensing. Just as I felt the peak of my climax approaching, he withdrew his hand from my body and I cried out in response. Turning my chin with his fingertips, his lips sealed over mine and we both groaned simultaneously as he slowly slid inside me.

My head fell back against his shoulder, my breath halted in my throat as he began a slow rhythm of thrusts. If I'd thought that earlier had been amazing, it was nowhere near as indescribable as that moment. His movements inside of me, with nothing between us, was incomparable to anything else I'd ever felt. Pulling his lips back to mine, I whimpered softly as he pressed deep inside me, stilling there as he kissed me passionately. I rolled my hips back against him, anxious for his movements to resume. My teeth clenched lightly on his lip as his ministrations began again, a deep groan emanating from him and I felt my orgasm beginning to build. His thrusts were urgent, yet never rough, leaving me tingling and clinging him tightly to me.

"Oh fuck, yes," I breathed out heavily, my head tilting back while his lips moved to my neck. I moaned as every nerve in my body came alive, feeling his breath on my skin, his fingers rubbing vigorously against my clit, and his cock repeatedly burying deep inside me. "God, you feel so good."

"So do you. So warm and soft," he grunted with the movement of his hips, my lips parting as the sensations began to overwhelm me. My stomach coiled tightly and my muscles began clenching around him in anticipation, my breaths coming in uneven shudders. "Come, baby."

I growled as my orgasm dangled at the edge, refusing to let go, and arched my back more to feel more of him. "Pinch me."

"What?" he panted in confusion, but never ceased his movements.

My hand released his hair and trailed down to meet his between my legs, guiding his fingers to comply with my request. My body went rigid the moment I felt the sharp pinch on my sensitive swollen skin, my nails digging into the back of his hand as I began trembling with the force of my orgasm.

"Oh shit, Bella," he groaned loudly and I felt his teeth bite down lightly at the base of my neck as he released inside me.

We held to each other tightly as we rode out wave after beautiful wave together until our bodies relaxed against the other and I felt his arms come around me again. I turned my head to gaze back at him, raising my lips to his, and brushing them lightly. As I snuggled back into him, his hold around me tightened and I traced my fingertips along his arm around my shoulders and gazed out the window. I could never remember a time that I had ever felt that happy, that any man had made me feel this desirable, that his need for me was as great as mine was for him. That I'd actually relished in the feel of a man's arms around me and not felt crowded or smothered.

As his breaths began slowing and I felt his muscles lax around me, I looked back at him against to find his eyes closed and his face serene. I turned in his arms slowly, so as not to wake him, and completely drank him in for the first time since landing in New York. Everything about the man was so perfect in my eyes, my heart constricted at the thought that even though he was right there in front of me, in a week, he would be thousands of miles away from me again. Yet, as I watched the fluttering of his eyelashes and the occasional twitch in the corner of his mouth just before they pursed as he dreamt, I couldn't keep myself from kissing him gently.

The sun was already beginning to make its appearance on the horizon, casting his face in a blend of light and shadow, and I hugged his arm around me.

_One day down,_ I thought sadly.


	11. Haiti Outtake Promise Kept

**A/N: This is an outtake from Late Night Encounters that I wrote for the Twifans for Haiti compilation, of one of Edward and Bella's nights in New York for New Years. And in honor of Reader Appreciation Day, I am posting this a day earlier than I had originally planned. **

**Thank you all for your amazing love and support of me and this story. I love each and every one of you more than I could ever express. :)**

_**Promise Kept**_

From my spot on the bed, I watched her as she brushed her teeth before joining me.

So far, the entire week had been amazing. Every touch from her set my body on fire, every kiss felt like a small piece of heaven. But it was more than that.

Regardless of where we were or what we were doing, the comfort we felt with each other was refreshing. From an outsider's perspective, anyone else would simply assume we were a vacationing couple, rather than the reality of the situation.

The reality. Something I had not allowed myself to think much upon for the past few days with her. Nor would I that night. I had plans for that evening, and I would not allow reality to disrupt my mood.

She gave me a soft smile as she turned off the bathroom light and began walking toward the bed, brushing her hair. Her hand halted as she gazed at me, chuckling nervously at my intense gaze, no doubt. "What?"

I motioned my finger for her to come closer and she complied, sitting down at the edge of the bed next to me. Taking the brush from her hand and setting it on the bedside table, I propped myself up beside her on one arm, tracing my fingers along her bare neck with the other. Her chest began rising and falling more noticeably with each breath under my touch, her eyes fluttering closed. "You know, I seem to remember a certain request of yours for this little trip that we have yet to fulfill."

Her brow furrowed momentarily as she gazed at me in confusion, then her eyes widened in sudden realization, causing my smile to widen. I knelt behind her, pulling her hair aside and gently tracing my nose along the back of her neck.

"I see you remember," I whispered, brushing a feather-light kiss on her skin and causing her to shiver. "Are you sure you still want that?"

Her fingers gripped the edge of the bed and she nodded, letting out a shuddering breath.

"Good. Now stand up and face me," I said in a firm tone, watching her as she rose from the bed and slowly turned toward me, her skin slightly flushed. Yet her eyes spoke volumes; she had been waiting for it, anxiously anticipating that moment. "Let's see what we have here, shall we?"

I moved to the edge of the bed to sit in front of her, tracing my fingers along the smooth skin of her thigh, underneath the black satin nightgown I'd bought her earlier in the day. She lightly bit her lip as my hand ascended until it encountered the feel of yet more satin.

"And what's this?" I remarked sternly, my touch causing her to gasp softly as I lightly grazed her sensitive skin beneath the fabric. "You can go to dinner without panties, but you come to my bed with them on?"

I shook my head as I clicked my tongue, her eyes lowering as she nodded her head. Resting back on my elbows, my eyes ran along her body as she fidgeted slightly under my perusal.

"Take them off," I commanded as my gaze met hers, holding it as she lowered the scrap of fabric down over her hips and letting it fall to the floor at her feet. "Show me."

Bella parted her legs slightly and lifted the front of her nightgown, and I felt myself harden at the beautiful sight in front of me. The soft planes of her flat stomach, the delicate curves of her hips, and the bare skin between her legs.

_God, I fucking want her._

"Come closer," I said levelly with no trace of my arousal in my voice. She stepped toward me until her legs met the edge of the bed and stopped. "Closer."

Her knees came to rest on either side of my thighs on the bed, her hands still holding the fabric up just below her ribs. I reached my hand out to touch her, tracing her lower abdomen, her hips, her inner thighs—all the while, analyzing the expression on her face. Her eyes were darkening, her jaw tensing slightly in restraint.

"Take it off. Slowly. Let me see you," I stated in short, abrupt commands, watching her arms move over her abdomen to cross in front of her. A soft moan of pleasure escaped me as her nightgown bared her ribs and then her beautiful breasts before me, her hair cascading back down over her shoulders as the fabric released it. "Beautiful. Simply fucking beautiful."

Her shoulders shuddered as I spoke and I smirked at the sight.

"You like it when I talk that way?" I taunted her and she swallowed hard, nodding as I ran my fingertips up along her stomach and between her breasts. Her back arched slightly in a seemingly involuntary reaction and I removed my touch from her, lying flat on the bed. "Prove it. Come closer."

As if reading my mind, she leaned forward to rest her hands on the bed above my head, moving her hips directly above my face. Running my hands over her ass and blew softly against her skin, her body jerking in response.

"Show me how much you want me to touch you, Bella. How badly you want me," I said huskily, causing her to whimper in reply with soft pleas. "I didn't say beg me, I said show me."

Bella exhaled a shaky breath as her hand trailed down her abdomen and between her legs, a soft mewl escaping her at the contact. I watched as her fingers ran lightly along her delicate skin, her tongue lightly sweeping across her lip to moisten it as she panted softly.

I brought my hand to her wrist, breaking her contact and bringing it to my lips, circling my tongue around the tip of her index finger. She let out a quiet moan as I took it into my mouth, closing my eyes as I relished in the taste of her on her own skin.

"Lay down," I said firmly as I released her hand, raising up off the bed as she lay back, standing up to gaze down at the beauty in front of me. I ached to be inside her, to feel her envelope me, but the memory of this experience through the webcam urged me to continue.

Placing my hands on her knees, I slowly parted them and traced along her inner thighs, causing her hips to buck slightly. "Don't move. Lay perfectly still."

She lowered her hips back down to the bed, her eyes never leaving me as I knelt down beside the bed, pulling her to the edge in front of me. She bit her lip as I touched her, running my fingers lightly over her slickened skin, applying hardly any pressure against her.

"You're aching for me to touch you, aren't you, Bella? To taste you?" I growled, my breath fanning over her skin and causing a strangled moan to emit from her. "Are you _ever_ going to come to this bed anything _but_ fully prepared for me to take you at my leisure?"

"No," Bella whispered hoarsely, shaking her head.

My teeth lightly grazed her inner thigh, causing a soft yelp from her followed by a groan. _Holy shit! She liked that!_ "What was that? I couldn't hear you."

Her lidded eyes came down again to meet mine. "I promise. I'll be ready for you at all times."

I smirked and slowly ran my tongue along her clit, feeling the muscles in her thighs tense as they pressed against my shoulders.

"Oh fuck. Shit!" she exclaimed through clenched teeth, her head pressing back against the mattress.

I backed away slowly, removing every trace of my touch from her and standing up. I gazed down at her, her eyes clenched closed and her lip nearly white from the pressure of her teeth on it. I fell forward onto my arms, startling her with my abrupt closeness as I hovered over her and teased her lips by ghosting over them with mine.

"Remember what I told you I was going to do to you for driving me crazy with that filthy mouth of yours?" I hissed against her lips, bringing one hand to grip her hair to raise her eyes to mine while my hips pressed forward, grinding my erection against her. "See what you're doing to me? You feel that?"

"Yes," she breathed out, her gaze never leaving mine and groaning as I pressed against her again.

"Tell me. So I _know_ you remember," I replied firmly, tightening my grip slightly on her hair, tilting her head back more.

She whimpered as her lips parted, but she gazed at me intensely. "That you would tease me with your cock until I was begging you to fuck me, and then make me pleasure you with my hot ... mouth."

Her tongue came out to flick my lip as she paused between her words, taunting me. _God, she's getting off on this. _

"Loosen my pants, now," I demanded in a harsh, scolding tone without breaking our gaze, feeling her hands come to my waist and tug at the drawstring of my night pants. "Now, push them down."

Bella's hands moved to my hips, guiding the fabric down until she couldn't reach and continued with her feet. I lowered myself on top of her, my bare chest meeting hers and rocking my hips against her, suppressing a groan at the warmth of her skin against mine. Her hands gripped my sides as I pulled back and repeated my motions.

"Feel good?" I asked deeply, brushing my lips against her jaw and she nodded. "I can't hear nods."

"Yes. God, yes," she panted, her palms flattening against my lower back in an attempt to pull me closer.

"I could be inside you so easily," I murmured against her skin, moving toward her lips and kissing her gently as my tip rested against her entrance. "But I won't."

She groaned loudly as I slid against her again, her eyes closing and turning her face to the side.

"Tell me, Bella. Do you want me to fuck you?" I whispered in her ear, nipping lightly at the lobe.

"Yes," she breathed out heavily, digging the heels of her hands into my back as they moved up to my shoulders.

"That doesn't sound very convincing. I don't think you want it bad enough," I said, lowering myself down onto one elbow while taking my length in my other hand. Her lips parted in a soft gasp as I guided myself along her and pressed just the tip inside her. "How bad do you want it, Isabella?"

Her nails dug into my shoulders and her body tensed beneath me. The look on her face told me it was taking everything in her not to thrust her hips, taking me inside her. "Edward..."

I pressed forward a fraction more, but the groan that emitted from her was so guttural, I may as well have plunged deep inside her all at once. Her hands fell to the bed beside her, clutching the covers tightly in her fists and cursing loudly when I pulled my hips away. "How bad?"

"God, fuck!" Bella exclaimed, her head thrashing to the side. "Please, I fucking need you."

I leaned down to brush my lips against her pulse point, then sat back on my legs and took her hands in mine. Lacing our fingers together, I pulled her gently off the bed to kneel in front of me. "That's all I needed to hear."

My lips met hers as I backed off the bed, our joined hands moving behind her back and guiding her with me.

Freeing one of my hands from her, I traced my fingertips lightly over her hip and between her legs. "Before I feel you here," I paused, sliding two fingers inside her briefly before retracting and bringing them to her lips. "I'm gonna feel you here. Show me how much you want me, baby."

She slowly lowered herself down in front of me, her breasts lightly skimming my cock as she knelt, causing me to hiss through my teeth at the contact. Her beautiful eyes gazed up at me as her tongue snaked out and ran along the underside of my length, moaning softly as it circled around the tip.

"You don't want to tease me, Bella. I don't think you'd like the consequences," I growled, but in reality, loving every fucking second of her light touches. She was driving me insane with that tongue of hers. Nonetheless, I drove my hands into her hair, tilting her head back and holding her gaze firmly with mine. "Unless, of course, you would enjoy going to bed tonight after I get mine without getting yours."

Her back straightened slightly and she shook her head. "No, please."

"Good, because I am really looking forward to fucking you, bent over that bed," I replied, watching her eyes flutter closed briefly and her shoulders fall with a sigh. Her hand then gripped me gently as those beautiful lips I had fantasized about for so long wrapped around me. And that time, I couldn't tear my eyes away.

Her warm mouth felt better that night than any other time that week, and watching myself repeatedly disappear inside her full lips only added to the sensation. When her tongue began massaging me with every movement, it took everything in me to hold her gaze and not come right then.

"Touch yourself, Bella. I want you good and ready for me when I decide to take you," I grunted, which became a moan when her mouth tightened around me as her hand slid between her legs. "Keep your eyes on me. Don't look away."

My voice was tight as I felt Bella's groan reverberate through me while her body trembled against her fingers' movements. Her eyes fought to stay open as her whimpers began, proving clearly how close she was.

"Okay, stop," I said, gently taking hold of her face, stilling her movements and pinching my eyes closed as her mouth sealed around me more firmly in protest. Feeling the tightening in my gut begin even without her motions, I pulled my hips away and guided her away from me, tracing her lips with my thumb.

"Turn around," I said in a commanding tone, pulling her up to stand and turning her away from me. Sliding my arms around her and pressing my body against her back, my lips ghosted over her neck as my hands gripped her firm breasts. "You almost made me come, which I'm only doing once tonight and it's a long time 'til morning. You really want to wait that long?"

Her head rested back against my shoulder, moving back and forth in reply while my thumbs drew slow, daunting circles around her hardened nipples.

"Are you ready for me, Bella?" I whispered in her ear, to which she immediately nodded. "I think I'll have to see for myself."

She groaned in displeasure when I stepped back, removing all contact of our bodies.

"Hands on the bed," I said firmly and she exhaled a shaky breath as she complied, bending forward at the waist. I gently nudged the backs of her knees with mine, urging her to kneel on the edge. Running my hand over her dampened skin, feeling exactly how aroused she was, I thought of the last time I'd seen her this way; leaning over her couch, unreachable. And finally I could touch her, taste her, and it only increased my desire for her. I pressed myself against her again, barely restraining from thrusting inside her as my fingers moved briskly over her clit. "Tell me you want me."

"God. Fuck, I want you," she panted breathlessly, arching against my touch. The beauty of her in that moment was indescribable, her hair flowing further down her back as her head fell back, her lips parted and eyes closed.

"I can't hear you," I replied gruffly, quickening my ministrations against her.

Her breath caught in her throat and a strangled cry escaped her lips. She was so close, but I wanted to see _and_ feel her when she did—so I stopped. "Shit ... Edward, please ..."

"Please what?" I whispered, my hands moving to her hips and gripping them firmly, pushing them forward to lose contact with me.

"I want you to fuck me. Please," she growled through clenched teeth, fisting the blankets in her hands.

In one swift movement, I pulled her back against me and sheathed myself inside her, our mingled moans and curses filling the air around us. She leaned forward on her elbows, weaving her hands into her hair as I began thrusting against her insistently, my fingers digging into the skin of her hips.

Nothing compared to the feeling of Bella like that; skin to skin, no barriers, as I'd discovered just a few mornings before. But that experience was so much more.

It was primal, raw, and so fucking intense—to feel and hear every single moment of it.

"Fuck, Edward. So close," she cried out and I could feel her body tensing.

"Don't you dare," I growled, knowing exactly what she wanted to do, and proven right when she groaned loudly and reached her hands above her head to grip the blanket. "You're not going to touch yourself at all as long as we're here, unless I tell you to. _I_ am the only one here that is going to make you come, do you understand?"

Her face turned to the side and rested on the mattress as she nodded and breathed out heavily, taking her lip between her teeth. Her forehead creased slightly and her whimpers grew louder with each of my movements.

Sliding my arm around her stomach and lifting her slightly off the bed onto her arms again, my lips brushed against her shoulder. "Come for me, Bella."

She gasped loudly as my hand moved between her parted legs, lightly pinching the sensitive, swollen skin between my fingers and rolling it between them. "Oh shit! Fuck!"

Her head flew back against my shoulder as she shuddered violently against me, her orgasm claiming her and pulling me over with her as well. I held onto her, pressing my lips firmly against her skin while my hips thrust erratically against her, until finally stilling as it subsided.

She slid forward onto the bed in exhaustion, rolling onto her back to look up at me with the most amazing, contented smile on her face. Reaching out for my hand, I took it and she gently pulled me down to her, wrapping her arms around my shoulders as I hovered above her.

"Thank you," she whispered against my lips before sealing them over mine briefly, gazing into my eyes the entire time. "I was beginning to wonder when that side of you was going to make its appearance. Though that's the first time anyone has ever called me 'Isabella', and it actually turned me on."

I chuckled, running the backs of my fingers along the sweat dampened skin of her neck. "I think it's put us both in great need of a shower."

"I honestly don't know that I can move right now," she laughed, her fingers running through my hair.

"Guess I better hold on to you good and tight, then," I replied, kissing her gently and lifting her off the bed, carrying her into the bathroom.


	12. Cherish the Moments

**A/N: To avoid confusion, this chapter begins where the last physical chapter, prior to the outtake, left off. Picking up the morning following their "first time".**

**Late Night Encounters 11 ~ Cherish the Moments**

Standing by the window after my shower, I sipped my coffee as I stared down at the bustling New York sidewalk. I knew I should've been more excited to get out there, to immerse myself in the sights and sounds of the amazing city. Yet, all I could think about was the slow breaths of the man on the bed behind me, the scent of the room surrounding me with the lingering traces of his aftershave, my shampoo, and _us_.

I was so entranced in thought that I didn't hear the movement on the bed or the footsteps across the carpet. However, a smile tugged at the corners of my mouth when I felt a pair of strong arms slide around my waist and warm lips press to my neck.

"Morning, beautiful," he murmured against my skin and I leaned my head back on his shoulder, feeling his embrace tighten around me. "You're up early."

"Couldn't sleep," I replied softly, turning my face toward him and kissing him gently. "I ordered some decent coffee, I hope that's alright."

"Bella," he chuckled softly, kissing the tip of my nose. "You can have whatever you want here. You don't have to pass _coffee_ by me."

I gave a small laugh, my eyes falling down to my mug, taking a sip and then glancing out the window again.

"So, what do you want to do today?" he asked, his cheek pressing against mine as we rocked gently in place.

"If it involves leaving this room, nothing," I replied honestly, setting my coffee on the table and resting my hand on the terry cloth covering his arm, hugging it against my middle. "There's nothing out there that could interest me more than what I have right here."

"Baby, what's going on?" he asked worriedly, turning me slowly in his arms and linking his hands behind my back. I shrugged slightly, staring at his chest and tracing the light dusting of hair where his robe parted with my fingers. He gently tugged my waist and my eyes rose to meet his, sighing when I saw his eyebrows raised questioningly.

"I just don't want to waste any of the time I have here with you," I said softly, my arms sliding around his neck and bringing his lips to mine, kissing him urgently. His arms tightened around me, his lips parting and responding to the kiss, and I moaned against them. I felt his hardened length against my abdomen and I pressed my body more firmly to his, raising up on my toes to bring myself closer to him.

"Bella," he mumbled against my lips, his hands moving to rest on my sides and I reluctantly broke the kiss. "We're not going home tomorrow. And I have no intention of leaving your side any longer than necessary for the next six days. But if we spend all week thinking about Saturday, we're going to miss out on a lot. So let's not think about it until the time comes, alright?"

I moved to protest, but his thumb rested against my lips and he shook his head.

"As amazing as it has been so far, there is more for us to experience here than this room and that bed. And I want to experience it all with you," he said softly, his fingers brushing lightly across my cheek. "So how about we get dressed and go out for breakfast. You _do_ need to eat, right?"

I couldn't help but laugh as he bent his head down to catch my gaze and I nodded. "Yeah. That sounds good."

"We can pick this up later," he replied with a smirk, pressing his lips back to mine and sliding his hands around my hips, pulling me against him.

"You're a tease," I mumbled, my fingers lacing in his hair and biting lightly at his lip.

"Only if I don't follow through, baby," he chuckled with a wink, his eyes lifting to the window. "You might want to dress warm, though."

"What?" My brow furrowed slightly and he nodded behind me. I turned my head slowly in confusion and then gasped sharply. "Oh my god, it's snowing!"

I stepped away from him to look outside, my eyes widening at the splendor before me. Tiny scattered flakes filled the sky, creating a feeling of serenity even amongst the busy streets of New York.

"Wow, that's so beautiful," I whispered, admiring the scene for another moment before turning back to him. "You get in the shower and I'll get dressed."

"Ok, give me five minutes," he laughed, kissing my cheek and grabbing his suitcase on the way to the bathroom.

By the time I heard the shower turn off, I was already dressed and sitting at the end of the bed, anxious with the anticipation filling me. He had successfully distracted me from my melancholy mind frame, and I realized that he was right. The more I thought about our inevitable parting, the less I could just enjoy the time I had with him. I still had six more days with him—to feel his arms around me, to kiss his lips, to lie beside him each night.

I looked up when the bathroom door opened and frowned slightly. "You shaved."

He chuckled at the disappointed tone in my voice, walking over to me and kissing my hair. "Habit. I never go more than a few days without doing so."

I nodded slowly as I brought my hand up to graze lightly over his smooth jaw, and his forehead rested against mine.

"It will grow back, Bella. I promise," he continued and I rolled my eyes with a smile, wiping off a small speck of shaving cream from his chin.

"Missed a spot."

His eyes fell to my finger and shook his head. "Always do. Never go a day without one of the nurses pointing that out."

"Nurses?" I inquired, wiping my fingertip on my jeans distractedly and averting my eyes.

"Oh Bella," he laughed, shaking his head and taking my hand in his, pulling me up off the bed. We walked to the door and he grabbed my jacket, holding it out for me to slide my arms in and closed his around me. "_Nothing_ to be jealous of. Trust me."

"Who's jealous?" I asked him nonchalantly, pulling my hair out of my coat while he put on his, eyeing me disbelievingly. "Alright, fine, maybe a little. But who's there to see you every single day?"

"And who's here with me in New York?" he shot back, raising his eyebrows with a smirk and reclaiming my hand.

I bit my lip and laughed as we walked out of the room, watching him pat his back pocket as the door clicked closed. "You _do_ have the key, right?"

His eyes widened as he looked at me and I felt my jaw drop, until he held the plastic card in front of me, his lips turning up into a breathtaking smile.

"Asshole," I grumbled and slapped his arm, but laughed along with him as we walked down the hall to the elevator. Seeing him so relaxed and playful had such a calming effect on me. As we stepped outside the front doors, I looked up and felt the snowflakes falling on my skin, and I turned to him abruptly. "Can we just walk?"

He lowered his eyes to mine, his hand stalling in his pocket as he was retrieving his keys for the valet. "You want to walk? It's freezing out."

"I have you to keep me warm," I replied, sliding my arms underneath his jacket and around his waist, looking up at him pleadingly. "It's so pretty."

His arm came around my shoulders and I kept one of mine around him as we began walking along the sidewalk. "You act like you've never seen snow, baby."

His laugh was contagious as he teased me and I shrugged in response. "Well, it's certainly not a common occurrence in LA, and having to shovel it at home in Forks is a bit of a killjoy."

"Guess you have a point in that."

_**EPOV**_

Watching her as we walked the streets of New York was a remarkable sight. Such a childlike innocence on her face as she caught snowflakes on her tongue, bouncing with excitement in the coffee shop when we got our orders to go, and began our walk to Central Park. Her cheeks and nose were bright pink and she was shivering slightly as we arrived, but her smile was still in place. Calm and carefree, as she should have been on a vacation.

Seeing her like that was a relief after the way the morning had started. The despair in her voice and face was unmistakable, as I could almost see her already counting down our time together. I couldn't bring myself to even think about the temporary nature of it all. And judging from the look on her face as we walked hand-in-hand through the massive expanse of the park, I could see that it was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment as well.

"I've always wanted to see this, you know," she spoke suddenly, breaking me out of my spellbound daze. "Central Park covered in snow."

"It _is_ quite beautiful, isn't it?" I replied and she looked at me, letting go of my hand.

"Well yes, it is. But not for that," she said with a mischievous smirk, bending down to grab a fistful of snow and packing it between her gloved hands.

"You wouldn't," I gasped with wide eyes.

"Want to try me?" she giggled as she began walking backwards away from me, and then tossed a loose snowball at my chest.

I gasped slightly in surprise, glancing down to the splattered snow on my jacket. My eyes rose slowly with a raised brow to catch the playful glint in hers. "Okay, Miss Washington. You've had it," I teased, grabbing snow into my hand and stalking toward her slowly. "You don't mess with a Chicago boy when it comes to snowball fights."

She shrieked a laugh and began running as I hurled it at her, striking the seat of her jeans. "Ah shit!"

We continued throwing and dodging each other's hurdles, receiving numerous stares from the other visitors to the park that day, but I barely noticed. I hadn't felt that relaxed and happy in so long, and it only increased by the sight of Bella's smile and the sound of her laughter. Never, in all the times I'd seen her over the previous couple of months, had she looked so beautiful.

"No, Edward, don't!" she squealed as I caught her around the waist, with more snow in my hand.

"Do you surrender?" I murmured in her ear, brushing my lips lightly against her skin.

"Yes. Yes, I surrender!" she replied with panting breaths, leaning back into me.

"Good answer," I chuckled, capturing her lips in a soft kiss as my hand slid up the front of her sweater and flattening the snow against the warm skin of her stomach.

"Hey!" she exclaimed against me and I released her, walking away. "That is just wrong on _so_ many levels, Dr. Cullen!"

I broke into a run, laughing as she chased after me and jumped on my back, toppling us over into the snow. Rolling onto my back, I looked up at her as she straddled my hips. "Dr. Cullen, huh? Is that what you'll call me when I'm in trouble?"

"Maybe. But only when you deserve it. That was _completely_ unfair!" she replied, still unable to stop laughing.

"Well, then I guess I need to get into trouble more often," I smirked, my hands resting on her hips as I gazed at her. "I kinda like it."

"Really, Dr. Cullen?" she whispered seductively as she leaned forward to press her lips against mine and I hummed in response. Her body shifted slightly over mine and her hands rose to clasp my face, eliciting a low groan from us both, as the kiss deepened and her tongue slid along mine. Feeling myself hardening beneath her, I circled my arms around her waist and pulled her to me more firmly. And with one more roll of her hips against me, I breathlessly broke away from her lips and gazed up into her darkened eyes.

I ran my hands along her sides and gently kissed her again, attempting to calm us both. "We should probably get back to the hotel for some dry clothes and to warm up."

"I think I would have to agree with you. I'm freezing," she laughed against my lips, but her voice still held that trace of arousal. Standing up with me, she began brushing off the snow from her clothes and looked up to me again. "Hypothermia might put a damper on things, huh?"

I wrapped my arm around her, holding her close to my side as she shivered against me. Yet her smile remained in place all the way out of the park and through the whole ride back to the hotel, not once protesting against my insistence on a cab. "See, we should have taken my car."

She shook her head and looked up at me, sliding her arm around my abdomen. "I couldn't do this if you were driving."

Her lips rose to mine and her leg draped over my lap, kissing me gently but passionately. I wove my hand into her dampened hair, tilting my head slightly to deepen the kiss until the cab driver cleared his throat. Looking up, I saw that we had arrived at the hotel and I released Bella, retrieving my wallet to pay him.

She began giggling as we walked away from the car, continuing while we waited for the elevator.

"What's so funny?" I asked with a slight chuckle in my own voice, though mine was slightly confused.

"Think about it, Edward," she started and took my hand. "We just got called on making out in the back of a cab like a couple of teenagers, after having a _snowball fight_ in Central Park. What's _not_ funny about that?"

I rolled my eyes with a laugh as we stepped into the elevator, pressing the button for our floor. "_You_ started it. _Both_ times."

"I didn't hear you complaining either time," she replied at my juvenile response, placing her hand on my cheek and pulling my lips to hers. I groaned softly as her arms slid around my neck and her body pressed firmly to me, grinding against my still present erection. "In fact, I daresay you enjoyed it as much, if not more, than I did."

I growled playfully against her as the elevator dinged and she pushed off my shoulders, running down the hall toward our room. Catching up with her outside the door, I pulled her back to me and captured her lips with mine. I couldn't seem to get enough of the overwhelming need to hold and kiss her, something I'd never desired so much with any other woman. "How far did you really think you were going to get without the key?"

"Who says I _wanted_ to get far? Maybe I just like it when you chase me," she whispered, tugging my bottom lip with her teeth.

Pressing her back against the door, I moaned into her mouth as I quickly retrieved the keycard from my back pocket. I fumbled to find the slot as her hands gripped my face and she arched slightly off the door, my arm sliding around her back when I finally heard the faint beep and turned the knob.

As she backed into the room, she grasped my jacket, pushing it off my shoulders and discarded hers onto the floor on top of it. Lifting my damp shirt up my torso, her icy fingers grazed my skin and I shivered against her touch. "We need to get you out of these wet clothes and warmed up."

"I'm working on that," she mumbled against my lips, and then gasped as my hand met the still chilled skin of her back. "Holy shit, your hands are freezing!"

"So is your skin," I replied, removing her shirt and lifting her up into my arms, her legs wrapping around me as our kiss grew more heated. I carried her into the bathroom and reached into the shower to turn the water on, feeling her hands leave my face and reach behind her to unhook her bra.

Tossing it aside, her feet lowered from around me to the floor and her fingers hurriedly unfastened my pants. The steam from the shower began clouding around us as we both worked each other out of our remaining clothing and stepped under the pulsing streams.

Her nails dragged along the skin of my shoulders as our lips met again in a hungry kiss. My need for her was becoming excruciating with each passing second as her body pressed against my erection. Sliding my hand between us, her moan resonated off the walls as I massaged her clit and her hips bucked against my touch.

"Take me, Edward," she growled, gripping my hair tightly with a feral look in her eyes. Her lips parted as my fingers thrust inside her and I smirked at her frustrated groan. "Fuck me. Now."

Turning us with my back to the stream, I spun her in my arms and grasped her breasts in my hands. Taking her lower lip between my teeth, I pressed my erection against her and she ground her ass back. "Like this, baby?"

"Yes," she panted, reaching her hand back to grip my hip.

"Doesn't sound very convincing," I murmured in her ear, gliding my hand along the dampened skin of her abdomen and between her legs. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. God, yes," she whimpered as I lightly pinched her clit between my fingers, her head falling back against my shoulder.

"Say it like you mean it," I growled, positioning myself and minutely entering her.

"Shit, fuck me, Edward!" she yelled, bracing herself on the wall in front of her, arching her hips toward me.

Covering her hands with mine and pinning them against the surface, I thrust inside her firmly and she shrieked out in pleasure. "I can't get enough of that dirty fucking mouth of yours."

"Harder. I need it harder," she strained between clenched teeth as I began moving relentlessly within her, her hands fisting beneath mine.

Just one more thing about Bella that I knew I would never tire of, even after just the few times we'd been together. She didn't hold back on voicing exactly what she wanted.

Burying myself deeper inside her with each movement, our fingers wove together as my lips pressed against her neck. She arched her back desperately toward me and I groaned loudly, biting into her shoulder gently.

"Yes. Yes yes yes," she cried out tightly with each thrust and I felt her beginning to clench around me, her legs trembling.

"Come, Bella. Fucking come," I growled, gripping her hands securely with mine.

"Oh fuck, shit!" she screamed, leaning her forehead against the tile until her body went rigid and she came around me. Panting heavily with each wave, her fingers splayed on the wall while mine tightened in restraint.

As her orgasm began to subside, her head fell back against me and turned to kiss me firmly. Her tongue grazed my lower lip before biting down on it lightly and I groaned in response. "Fuck, Bella."

"Turn me around," she growled insistently and I opened my eyes to look at her. Her wet hair clung to the skin of her face and neck, and she gazed at me with a fire in her eyes I had never seen before. I released her hands and stepped back from her, turning her to face me again. "Now kiss me."

Sliding my arms around her waist, my mouth descended to hers and I felt her foot running along my calf. Her hands held my face as our tongues met and a soft whimper sounded in her throat as I pulled her against my aching length. Tugging gently on my lips, she broke the kiss and opened her eyes to gaze into mine.

"There's something I want to do," she said in a deep, sultry tone, her fingertip running seductively along my cheek to my neck, her eyes lowering to my lips and licking her own. She looked so raw and sexy as her hand slid between us, down my chest and abdomen until I felt it wrap around me, gliding it slowly along the skin. "I got mine, you get yours."

"Baby, please," I panted heavily, wanting nothing more at that moment than to have her legs around my waist and bury myself deep within her again. She shook her head with a small smirk on her face, brushing my lips teasingly before lowering herself to kneel in front of me. "Oh fuck."

Her lips turned up more as I braced my hands against the wall and her fingers traced lightly over the tip. "No objections, I hope."

I could only shake my head as she began slowly stroking me, her mouth so close that I could feel her warm breath on my skin.

"Good, because I've been wanting to do this since the first," she whispered, barely audible through the continuous beating sound of the shower and paused to press a light kiss against the base of my length, slowly working her way up. "Moment ... I saw you."

With her final words, her lips surrounded me and my breath caught at the intense feeling of it. It wasn't the brief, frenzied motions of the night before, but slow and languid as she took me into her mouth, moaning as her eyes rose back to mine.

Watching her lips moving along me, blinking against the soft mist hitting her face from the shower, I tilted my head forward and fought to keep my eyes open despite the pleasure of it all. There was nothing in the world that could ever come close to simulating this feeling, and as much as I tried to avoid thinking about it, I already had no idea how I was going to manage to let her go come the end of the week. Sexually or otherwise.

"Oh God," I breathed out heavily as she circled her tongue around the tip before taking me fully into her mouth again, instantly distracting me from my train of thought. Beads of sweat began to form on my forehead, mingling with the water dripping from the tips of my hair. Her hands slid up my thighs to rest on my hips while my fingers threaded gently into her wet tangled hair. "Bella, I'm close."

She hummed around me, increasing her movements and gripping my sides firmly, causing me to groan loudly and every muscle in my body to tighten.

I cursed loudly through clenched teeth as her hand replaced her mouth when I pulled her away seconds before my orgasm hit. I pinched my eyes closed at her vigorous movements and finally came, removing my hand from her hair and fisting it against the wall.

When I reopened them a moment later, I caught her gaze for only a second before her lips moved back up along my body as she rose to stand in front of me. Her eyes met mine again, flickering slightly and I slid my arms around her waist. "Why'd you stop me?"

"Because I wanted to do this," I whispered, claiming her lips with mine and kissing her deeply, lifting her feet off the ground and turning us around again. Her body shivered in my embrace as the warm water hit the air-chilled skin of her back and she slid her arms around me, placing her hand on the back of my head to hold me against her.

Right there in that shower, washing each other's bodies and sneaking brief kisses, I was the happiest I could ever remember being. How _was_ I going to let her go?

**x-x-x**

There was never a dull moment throughout the entire week. Her smile never ceased, whether we were doing the typical touristy things such as staring out at the Statue of Liberty, where I'd learned that her great-grandparents had first set foot in this country from Ireland on Ellis Island at the turn of the century. Or strolling around Times Square with our arms around each other. Or our daily trip to the coffee shop, where we'd sit and simply talk about everything and anything for hours at a time. I was enjoying the little things with her as much as being together every night in that bed, even the more adventurous of nights.

And before we knew it, we'd reached the last full day with each other—New Year's Eve. As far as I could tell, we'd both been successful in burying any thoughts of our eventual separation in the back of our minds. Yet, lying beside her and running my fingers gently through her hair as she slept, completely wrapped around me, I couldn't keep myself from thinking about it. The next day at that time, we would be standing at the airport saying goodbye and it would be time to return to the real world.

And I was far from ready to let her go.

How were we going to simply fall back into our lives, thousands of miles apart and knowing exactly what we were missing? The ache to touch her was excruciating _before_ I'd actually experienced it, and after the past week, it would likely be almost unbearable. Even with her still right there beside me, I began pondering ways to see her again.

While I wouldn't be able to take a vacation again anytime soon, there was always spring break for her and we could possibly follow through on her visit to Chicago. She'd seemed excited by the prospect when I'd mentioned it earlier in the week, and having her there with me—even for that short a time—was something I looked forward to.

"Why so serious?" her sleep-laden voice carried up to me, breaking me from my thoughts. I gazed down at her as her finger began tracing along the line of my jaw, and I conjured a smile. "Thinking about tomorrow?"

"No," I replied, shaking my head and leaning down to kiss her gently. She propped her chin on her hand that was resting on my chest, tilting her head in disbelief. "Yes."

She chuckled sadly, sliding up my body and caressing my cheek with her hand. "We promised, Edward. And it's not over yet."

Kissing me chastely, she smiled as she pulled away and rested her forehead against mine.

"Now, let's get up. I'm starving after last night, not to mention having horrible morning breath," she giggled, pecking my lips quickly and moving away, dodging my attempts to pull her back. Rolling onto my stomach, I groaned into the pillow as she stood from the bed and turned my head back to look at her. As she wrapped the sheet around her naked body, she blew me a kiss over her shoulder as she hurried into the bathroom.

An hour later, we sat at the coffee shop and I watched as she eagerly ate her bagel.

"So, what's on the agenda today?" she asked as she wiped the trace amount of cream cheese from her lips with her napkin.

"Well, since it's my turn to choose the activities," I started, chuckling as she glared playfully across the table at me. "We have a boat to catch at eleven."

"A boat?" she inquired, her forehead wrinkling in confusion.

"Yes, now come on. We don't want to miss it," I replied, standing up and taking her hand.

"You realize it's freezing out, right?" she argued and I looked down at her quirking an eyebrow. "Don't even start on my sleeping habits."

**x-x-x**

I stood behind her at the railing, my arms around her waist and my chin resting on her shoulder as we gazed at the incredible view of Manhattan. The cold wind blew against her face, causing her nose and cheeks to redden, and her eyes closed as she rested back against me.

"You want to go inside?" I asked quietly, pressing my lips against her shoulder.

She shook her head slowly and opened her eyes, but didn't look over to me. Instead, her gaze remained locked on the scenery in front of her. She was silent for several minutes, running her gloved hand along my arm and then pressed it more firmly against her.

"I don't want to go back," she spoke suddenly, leaning her head to the side to rest against mine, while still keeping her eyes forward.

"We have to, baby," I whispered as I raised my head, pressing my lips against her hair. "You have school and I have work, all waiting back home for us. We'll see each other again soon, I promise."

She finally turned her head to look at me, her eyes gazing intently into mine. "Getting on that plane doesn't end this."

Her tone as she spoke surprised me. It wasn't a question, nor was it a demand. Soft, yet firm. It was a request for affirmation from me.

"No, getting on that plane doesn't end this," I agreed and her hand reached back to my cheek, guiding my lips to meet hers.

A huff from behind us reminded us that we weren't alone, even though the kiss was exceedingly innocent in comparison to what we were capable of, even in public. Glancing back, we saw an elderly woman quickly look away and move to the railing several feet down.

Bella turned to lean her back against the metal bar, sliding her arms around my waist and gazing up at me. "This view is far more appealing than a bunch of buildings."

"Oh really?" I replied, smirking as she bit her lip and nodded, tightening her arms around me and tilting her head back. "All this beautiful scenery, the sun shining, the birds ... squawking ..."

"Shut up and kiss me, Edward," she interrupted me sharply and I couldn't contain my laugh as I leaned down, capturing her lips passionately with mine, no longer caring about our location. Her soft moan against me as she pulled me closer caused another heavy sigh from the woman, who then stormed back inside.

"You're about as mature as an eight year old sometimes, you know that?" I mumbled against her lips, shaking my head as I gazed at her.

"And what does that say about you for playing along?" she retorted, her brow lifted as I sighed and rolled my eyes. But soon, her smile fell again and her hand came to my cheek, her eyes running over my face. "Let's just go back to the room after this."

"Bella?"

"I'm not getting emo on you or anything. I just want to go back. Order room service, lie in bed, and not move for the rest of the night. Well, mostly," she chuckled softly, looking down for a brief moment before returning her gaze to me. "I just really want one night of only us. No restaurants, no crowds. Just you, me, some food, and a television."

"You got it," I whispered, kissing her gently and then hugging her against my chest.

**x-x-x**

As the sun began to set outside the window, Bella and I sat on the floor at the foot of the bed in our robes, staring up at the television and eating our dinner. We continued to talk and laugh until 11:30 when we changed the channel, watching the New Year's Eve celebration that was taking place down below us on the street.

Standing up, we walked to opposite sides of the bed, gazing at each other as we slowly discarded our robes and slid under the covers. Silently moving toward the center of the bed, our eyes never wavered as our lips met and I wrapped my arms around her. Despite the fact that we'd been intimate twice already since returning to the hotel, the fire was reigniting for both of us.

But I didn't want to ever rush anything with her, especially sex.

"Baby, it's gonna be midnight soon," I whispered against her lips and she looked up at me, nodding her head and turning over to face the window. Pulling my arm around her middle, she rested her head on my other arm while my hand played lightly with her hair.

As the minutes ticked by, I realized exactly how much I would miss this. Feeling her beside me, the scent of her skin and hair surrounding me as I held her close. The soft sounds of her breathing and the gentle touch of her fingers along my arm as her back pressed against me. She was exactly the kind of woman I'd been waiting for, the only one who could fulfill every one of my desires. While at the same time, possessing the nurturing soul beneath that made her unmistakably feminine and desirable. She was perfect.

I was going to miss _her_.

I felt a tear fall on my bicep and I lifted my head slightly to look at her, watching her wipe it away with her hand. "It'll be fine, Bella."

She nodded, turning her face to look at me and kissed me gently. "I know. I just can't believe our week is gone."

I pressed my lips to hers, pulling her back against me more securely and her head rested back on my shoulder. I felt her fingers in my hair as her tongue slid between my lips, grazing mine and anxiously returning my kiss. Our breaths became heavy and our bodies heated quickly, and we parted with our foreheads resting together. "Come to Chicago for spring break."

Her fingernails traced lightly down my neck as her eyes searched mine, slowly twirling a piece of my hair. "You're serious."

"Extremely," I whispered, brushing her lips lightly with mine and gazing into her eyes again. "Will you at least think about it?"

"Yes," she replied distractedly with a slow nod, her hand halting on my neck before she blinked and shook her head. "I mean, yes. I'd love to. I'll be there."

I smiled, burying my face in her neck and holding her against me, feeling her lips press against my hair.

"One condition," she said and I brought my eyes back to hers. "I buy my ticket. Since there's more notice next time."

"Deal," I laughed with a nod.

_Ten... nine... eight... seven... six..._

The countdown began on the television and her fingers laced with mine underneath her head, while her other hand traced my cheek.

"Five... four..." she whispered softly, inching closer to my lips.

"Three... two..." I continued, feeling her gentle breath ghosting over my skin.

"One. Happy New Year," we said in unison and our lips sealed together in a passionate kiss.


	13. It's So Hard to Say Goodbye

**Late Night Encounters 12 ~ It's So Hard To Say Goodbye**

_"Five... Four..."_

_"Three... Two..."_

_"One. Happy New Year."_

My heart was racing as those last few seconds passed, my breaths staggering as our lips inched closer. I didn't want midnight to arrive, regardless of how tempting his lips were or how much I ached to feel them against mine. With it came the dreaded day I wished would never come.

_Friday, January 1, 2010._

Turning in his arms, I melted into his kiss and pulled my body closer to him, desperate to feel him against me once more. I couldn't close my eyes even if I'd wanted to, my subconscious determined to soak up every last moment I had left with him. We only had seven hours before we had to be at the airport, and then he had the long drive back to Chicago before returning to work on Saturday morning.

We needed to get some sleep, but I couldn't let him go yet. The entire week had flown by in a flurry, making it easy to bury any thoughts of our eventual separation. No worrying about schedules or dodging questions or explaining actions. We'd simply _lived_.

I knew from the first moment I touched him that everything was going to change between us; I just had no idea how much or in what way. For one week, we were just Edward and Bella, another couple amongst the crowd. As soon as the novelty wore off, walking with him, holding hands, and even kissing became effortless and felt natural.

_Home_ felt foreign.

"How are we going to go back?" I whispered as our foreheads rested together and my fingers ran lightly through his hair, tracing around his ear.

His arms tightened around me, pulling my body flush with his and gently kissing my lips. "By remembering that this isn't the end. And that we'll be together again soon."

I sighed, my fingertips trailing down his neck and my leg draping over his thigh, trying to move closer. Every inch of our bodies were touching and I ground my hips against his hardened length, pressing my lips firmly to his.

"One more time. Please," I whimpered against him, gazing into his green depths. "I know we can't stay up all night, but please. Just once more."

His hand came to my face, brushing my hair back as he stared into my eyes and wiped away a tear with his thumb. "We're not saying goodbye, Bella."

I nodded slowly, running my hands over his back. "I know. I just want one more night to remember with you."

Without another word, he rolled me back until his body settled onto mine and he effortlessly glided into me. My fingers wove into his hair, holding him closer as our lips met and every other thought disappeared. Just him, this moment.

I had changed so much in that week. I'd never felt as close to someone as I felt with him. He was everything I could've wanted in a man. He was sweet and tender in moments when I just needed to feel him with me, passionate when I needed my wildest fantasies fulfilled, light and fun-loving when I simply needed to relax.

And I found that I couldn't help myself. I'd fallen deeper for him than I'd ever thought I could.

My eyes pinched closed and I kissed him deeply as his body moved against mine, working me closer to orgasm with every thrust.

I was in love with him, and the following day, I had to let him go.

**x-x-x**

Sitting in his car at the airport, I felt frozen in my place. My hands shook and the tears fell freely down my cheeks with the weight of my realization from the night before. More than ever, I simply wanted to remain in that car and leave with him, never setting foot in LA again. I'd felt true happiness for a full week, something I knew that a telephone or even a webcam could never replace.

"Baby, you need to check your luggage," he said softly as his hand reached over to cover mine, giving it a gentle squeeze.

I nodded distractedly, gripping his hand firmly. "Yea, I know."

"Come on," he said, turning my face toward him and kissing me gently, staring into my eyes for a moment before pulling away to step out and grab my bags.

I slowly extracted myself from the car, meeting with him at the back and hugging myself against his side as we walked toward the doors of the airport. Stopping just inside, I folded myself into him and wrapped my arms tightly around his waist, inhaling his scent one more time.

"Is it Spring Break yet?" I chuckled sadly against his chest, feeling his lips press against my hair.

"It'll be here before you know it, Bella. March is less than three months away," he replied, trying to sound encouraging, but his voice cracked almost imperceptibly mid-statement.

I tilted my head up to look at him, finding his eyes slightly misted. My fingers rose to graze his cheek gently and his lips slowly lowered to mine. I responded eagerly, clasping his face between my hands and holding him there for as long as possible. "I ... I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, baby," he murmured against my lips, reluctantly loosening his hold around my waist. "Text me when you land?"

I nodded, my hands sliding down his chest until he took them in his, stepping back from me and raising my right one to brush a soft kiss against my knuckles. It was just like one of those old movie scenes; two people hesitantly moving away from each other, touching until they could no longer reach, their fingertips the last thing to fall away. And every eyeroll I'd ever given to such a scene was instantaneously retracted.

_I know __exactly_ _how they felt now._

Turning my head to look at him one last time as I reached the counter to check my luggage, I saw him still standing there at the door, giving me a small wave and a smile before walking back out into the cold New York air.

"Have a nice holiday in the Big Apple, miss?" the attendant asked with a cheery smile, drawing my attention back to my current task.

However, I couldn't manage to share in his enthusiasm, and hummed solemnly. "Yea, it was great."

**x-x-x**

As the plane began to taxi out, I pulled my phone from my pocket, scrolling through my pictures until I found the one I was looking for.

During one of our walks, staring out at the immense stretch of New York Harbor, I'd gotten a sudden urge and asked a complete stranger to take our picture at the waterfront. I smiled slightly as I gazed down at Edward holding me against his chest, lightly tracing his smiling face with my fingertip.

"Nice looking boy," a voice sounded from beside me, and I glanced over to the kind face of the elderly woman sitting in the next seat. "What's his name?"

"E-Edward," I stammered emotionally as I returned my gaze to the picture, fighting back the threatening tears and the ache in my heart from the sound of his name. "His name is Edward."

"Edward," she repeated thoughtfully with a soft sigh. "You make quite a handsome couple. Young love is so very rare nowadays."

I laughed sadly, shaking my head and steeling myself against the onslaught of emotion those words evoked. "We're just really good friends."

_The web of lies is going to begin the moment I land anyway when Rose picks me up. Might as well start now,_ I thought to myself.

Her hand came to rest on mine and I turned to look at her again, seeing her lips curved into a warm smile. "Sweetheart, I think you should take another good look at that photo. Those are the eyes of a man and woman in love. Reminds me of myself and my Walter before the war. If I may offer you some advice?"

I gazed at her dumbfounded but nodded slowly anyway. "Sure."

"Don't squander time, honey. It's all you have, and you never know when it's going to end," she said with an almost ancient wisdom in her eyes. "I was just about your age when I received that awful yellow telegram, telling me that my husband wasn't coming home to me and our little boy. First love is very special, and something that comes along once in a lifetime. You're never guaranteed a second chance. Live every moment of it."

With a final pat on my hand, she folded hers and leaned back in her seat, sleeping through the remainder of the flight. Yet, even with the little rest I had gotten the night before, my eyes wouldn't close, my mind wouldn't stop spinning.

Spring Break was almost three months away, and I was already feeling empty without his arms around me. I didn't even want to imagine what it would be like when I got home, in my bed, alone in LA. Part of me wished that I'd never known how it felt to have him beside me; it was almost better not knowing what I was missing. Yet, the stronger part of me wouldn't have changed it for the world. To know the feeling of having my arms wrapped around the man I loved as I went to sleep was more precious than saving myself the pain of his absence.

_Eleven weeks. Seventy-seven days from now,_ I thought as I counted them on the calendar of my phone. _And I will be in Chicago._

Five hours later, the plane began to taxi into LAX and I closed the book I had been attempting to distract my brain with; unsuccessfully, I might add. The woman beside me sighed as she shifted in her seat, no doubt stiff from remaining in the same spot for hours.

As we stood to deboard, she lifted her carry-on over her shoulder and then placed a hand on my arm. "Tell him, dear."

With that, she smiled and made her way down the aisle, disappearing out the door.

The moment I turned on my phone inside the airport, it began to vibrate in my hand and I looked down to find two text messages waiting. The first was from Edward, sent shortly after I took off from JFK.

_I miss you already. xo ~E_

Pressing the phone to my chest, I smiled tearily and gave a small laugh. It was a comfort to know that he was feeling it, too, and just as quickly.

_Just landed. I miss you too. xo ~B_

I sent it and stared at his message a moment longer, feeling a smile tugging at my lips before moving on to the next, which was from Rosalie.

_Just got here. Meet you out front._

Looking at the time, the text arrived ten minutes before, when my flight was _supposed_ to land.

"Shit," I hissed under my breath, quickly replying to tell her I'd be out in a few minutes.

Hurrying through the massive expanse of the airport, the elderly woman's words rang through my mind again. _Tell him, dear._

Distractedly lifting my phone again, I debated for a moment as I wove through the busy crowds. I could wait until I spoke to him, but that might lead to an awkward silence that neither of us would need after our perfect week together. At least this way, he'd have the remainder of the drive to run it over in his mind. As I approached baggage claim, I typed out a quick message.

_I love you, Edward. ~B_

Hitting send before I could change my mind, I hurriedly slid the phone into my pocket and stood beside the conveyor belt, bouncing impatiently with the knowledge that Rose hated to wait.

"Bella!" I heard my name called and my head shot around, looking for the source until I spotted the unmistakable blonde locks of Rosalie coming toward me. "So, how was New York?"

My eyes widened as one of her perfect brows lifted and her arms folded expectantly over her chest. I took a deep breath and forced a smile. "W-what are you talking about?"

"First of all, Bella Swan, you are a horrible liar, and I'm not even sure how you got away with it for _this_ long. Second, the most recent flight in from Seattle landed over thirty minutes ago, and I was waiting over _there_, while you are over _here_ under a sign for a New York flight. And third," she paused, pulling her phone out of her jacket and holding it up to me. "Who the _fuck_ is Edward?"

I gasped and my hands rose to cover my mouth, as clearly displayed before me was my last message, meant for Edward.

"You have some secret boyfriend or something?" she exclaimed, sliding the phone into her pocket and resuming her interrogative stance.

I felt my face burning as I lowered my eyes, collecting myself as my worst nightmare took shape. "No. Not exactly."

"Alright, so what _exactly_ is it? You just went traipsing off to New York with some random guy then?" she snapped angrily and I shushed her as people began to stare. "This is going to give your father a heart attack."

"No, it won't, because my dad is never going to know about this. Neither is Alice. And it wasn't just some 'random guy' either," I replied stiffly, my posture tensing as I turned my gaze to the conveyor belt and looked for my bag.

"Okay, so not only do you want me to lie to your father, but now Alice, too?" she whispered harshly, her hands resting on her hips. "Who the hell _is_ he?"

"I'm not asking you to lie. I'm asking you not to say anything at all. And can we not discuss this right now, in the middle of the airport?" I replied brusquely, glancing at her from the corner of my eye.

She huffed heavily and pursed her lips, turning on her heel and calling back to me over her shoulder. "I'll be out front with the car."

As soon as she was out of sight, I released a long shaky breath and dug my phone out of my pocket, dialing the only person that I knew could calm me.

"Edward, I'm in trouble."

_**EPOV**_

As I pulled into the rest stop just over the border of Ohio to grab a coffee, my phone buzzed in my pocket with a message from Bella.

_Just landed. I miss you too. xo ~B_

I smiled at her simple words, allowing them to fill me with relief. She was home and safe, and already missing me, as well. Nothing had changed or disappeared—just as we'd promised.

However, while I stood in line for my coffee, my phone sounded again, with her ringtone filling the air.

"Hey baby," I said softly, not expecting to hear her voice again until I got home, but quickly realizing how much I needed to.

"Edward, I'm in trouble." Her trembling tone instantly sobered me and I felt my body stiffen in worry.

"Bella, what's wrong?" I asked urgently, clutching my phone tightly in my hand as a million different scenarios began racing through my head.

_What could possibly cause her to sound this way? Had no one been there to meet her? Was she hurt?_

My train of thought was broken as she let out a shuddering breath. "Rose knows."

I could hear the tears in her voice and my eyes closed, wishing more than ever that I could be there to comfort her, while also relieved that she wasn't actually hurt. "Rose knows what, baby?"

"Everything. About you. Us. _Everything_," she spoke so quickly, her voice was shaking more with every word as she ran out of air.

"Okay, take a deep breath, Bella. It's going to be alright," I replied calmly, attempting to relax her.

"No, it's not. You don't understand. There's no way I can explain this to her that will make it alright. Then I'm going to have to tell Alice. And my dad. Oh my god, my dad," she panted heavily, on the verge of hyperventilating. "I wasn't ready for this yet. I have _no_ idea what I'm going to say."

"Listen," I said softly, taking my coffee and began walking out to my car. "She doesn't need to know the _exact_ details of how we met. Just tell her that we met online, we've been talking for a few months, and leave it at that."

"That won't make it any better. She'll think I'm even _more_ insane for running off to meet a guy I found online," she sighed heavily, and I could picture her hand running into her hair and clenching it tightly in her fist, the way she always did when she was exasperated.

"It's not that uncommon anymore, baby. People do it all the time," I replied as I leaned back against the hood of my car. "Obviously, I'm not some psycho, since you're safely back home. You're a grown woman. What more could she possibly say?"

"Yeah, _people_, not _me_. And she _knows_ this," she huffed into the phone. "And believe me when I tell you that Rose can _always_ think of something to say."

"They were going to have to find out sometime, right? If we plan to continue this?" I asked, silently dreading that she now might be regretting everything between us. That reality had caught up with us already, and we hadn't even been apart for a full day yet. "How did she find out anyway?"

The line was silent for a moment and I thought the call had dropped until I heard her sigh. "There was no flight in from Seattle when she arrived to pick me up. And I accidentally sent her a text that was meant for you, because I'm a _massive_ fucking idiot, trying to text while in a hurry."

"What did you say?" I asked, genuinely curious as to what she could have sent that would alert her friend in such a way.

"I uh, I can't exactly remember. It wasn't important, but it had your name in it."

"Bella, you don't even _fib_ well," I laughed slightly at her stammering voice and shook my head, hearing her sigh heavily through the phone. "Just don't worry too much. Everything will work out, and I'll be home later tonight if you need to talk, okay? I'll call you, if it's not too late."

"Just call. I don't care what time it is," she said and I heard her grunt faintly as she no doubt lifted her suitcase. "I want to hear your voice before I go to sleep, since I can't have you with me."

"Alright, baby. I'll call," I replied in a calm voice and I could almost hear her smile as she breathed out slowly.

"Wish me luck," she said nervously as the sound of voices moved around her.

"Good luck. I'll talk to you tonight," I said and heard her soft 'bye' before the call disconnected.

Tossing the phone into the passenger seat, I lowered myself into the car and made my way back onto the highway. As I set the cruise control, my thoughts wandered again to all that had happened over the last week.

I'd just had the most amazing time of my life with the incredible woman who was again thousands of miles away from me. It had taken everything in me to get out of bed that morning, her naked body pressed firmly against my side from our passionate encounter the night before. I'd had every intention of making love to her one last time before we had to go to sleep, but the imploring look in her eyes urged me on even more.

As I entered her, we both released soft sighs as our gazes met just before our lips did. It was the most intense feeling I'd had all week with her, knowing this would be the last time I'd touch her this way for almost three months. Feel her breath on my skin and her fingers in my hair. Softly moaning my name as I filled her again and again.

"Oh ... God ... Edward," I heard her strained voice in my ears even now, as if she were sitting right next to me, or we were still in the haven of that hotel room. Her body convulsed beneath mine as her orgasm ripped through her, a guttural groan rumbling deep in her throat and her hands moved to grip my shoulders tightly. She felt so good around me; I hadn't wanted it to end. However, I couldn't hold back anymore either and I bit lightly into her neck as I came, her back arching in response and gasping with each thrust.

I shifted in my seat, feeling myself harden at the mere memory of that last time with her and the faint mark on her lower neck that I'd noticed that morning when I woke up. _Not now. I still have over seven hours left in this car_. _Think of something else._

That woman had come to mean everything to me. Every one of my thoughts and actions revolved around her, and I couldn't deny that similar thoughts to hers had crossed my mind as well. Regardless of how much I'd tried to calm her when she'd questioned me the night before, I couldn't help but wonder the same thing.

How _were_ we simply going to go back to the way things had been before New York? Before we knew how good we were together, how easy things had been between us. Were things now going to be awkward once we returned to our old rituals?

Aside from that, I began to wonder exactly where we stood now. Were we still only 'exclusive internet lovers'? Through the entire week, I hadn't thought once about that aspect, but at that moment, it wouldn't leave my mind. She was so much more than that to me.

Leaving her at the airport had been the most difficult thing I'd ever done. I forced a smile when she'd turned to look back at me, and then had to walk out that door quickly before I ran back to stop her. Begging her to come to Chicago right then and there and never let her go. I wouldn't allow myself to think of how easy it would be for her to transfer to UoC for her last semester, and we'd never have to be apart again.

However, my logical mind knew that we weren't ready for that, and her call at the rest stop was a clear indication of that, if nothing else. She needed to feel comfortable in telling her family and friends about us before any part of our relationship could progress.

And I needed to as well. Aside from Emmett, no one knew anything about Bella, and that needed to change before she came to Chicago. That gave me less than three months to fill in my family and figure out what exactly I was going to tell them about her.

I cared so much about her, and while I wasn't nervous about explaining to my family that I'd met a woman online, I _was_ unsure of how I would answer the inevitable questions about the existing relationship. Could I call her my girlfriend? Were we more than friends, less than serious? We'd never discussed or seemed to have even thought about it in the entire time we spent together. While we had no interest in seeing anyone else, what _we _were was something we needed to clarify very soon. Her hint of jealousy at the mention of the nurses in the ER and her eager acceptance to my invitation to Chicago gave the impression that she viewed me in more than just a casual way, but I needed to know.

What had that week truly meant to her? What did _I _mean to her?

I got a short reprieve from my thoughts when my phone began to ring again and I rolled my eyes with a laugh at the familiar ringtone.

"Hello, Emmett," I answered with a sarcastic sigh, followed by a chuckle.

"Oh, don't even act like you aren't dying to spill the beans about your steamy week with the LA hottie," he prodded in his typical jovial fashion. "Where are you now, anyway?"

"In the middle of nowhere, Ohio. And no, I'm not really overly anxious to divulge the intimate details of my sex life, since I know that's the _only_ part of this you're interested in," I replied distractedly as I changed lanes. "And her name is Bella, for the millionth time."

"That hurts, Edward. I am actually offended that you would say such a thing about me," he said in a dramatically wounded tone, the amusement still lacing it. "So, what's she like?"

I sighed heavily, leaning into my seat and resting my head back. "I'm driving, Em."

"So, activate your damn bluetooth, you loser," he replied and I could almost hear his eyes rolling. "You know, I will never understand why you never do it in the first place when you start up that fancy car."

"Because some people actually_ don't_ live with their phone attached to their ear, perhaps?" I shot back as I grabbed my earpiece out of the center console and setting it in place.

"Whatever. It will at least kill some of your dull driving time. Unless, of course, you're too busy envisioning the hot, spicy, steamy, sex-filled..."

"Alright! Fucking hold on!" I exclaimed in annoyance, activating the earpiece and setting down my phone. "You are so fucking obnoxious, like a big kid."

"Come on, out with it," he said abruptly as I heard him settle into a chair. "What's _Bella_ like?"

Gripping the steering wheel firmly with both hands, I took a deep breath as my posture straightened at the sound of her name. "She's amazing, Emmett. Just so fucking amazing."

"Is she as hot in person?" he asked anxiously, his voice filled with anticipation.

"Damn it, Em," I groaned in irritation; I really needed to quit falling prey to these things with him.

"Dude, she didn't send you a picture of someone else, did she? Shit, I read some fucked up stories on that type of thing on the net, and—"

"I saw her through a webcam, numbnuts. Kinda hard to doctor that," I shot back, interrupting his absurd statement.

"Holy fuck! Never took you for being into that kind of freaky shit. _Nice_," he chuckled and I could see the Cheshire grin on his face in my mind as he spoke.

"Keep your mind out of the gutter," I growled warningly.

"Too late, man. Already there and _rolling_ in it," he laughed loudly and I drove my hand into my hair. "So, quit dodging. Was she hot?"

"No, she wasn't _'hot'_, she was fucking beautiful," I corrected him.

"Whoa, someone's a little touchy there. I take that as meaning it was a good week?" he asked, his voice lowering slightly.

"Yeah. It was a phenomenal week," I replied distantly as the memories of it bombarded me again. "Best week of my life."

He was abnormally quiet, with only the sounds of his breathing coming through the phone until he suddenly broke the silence with a boisterous exclamation. "Holy fucking shit, man! You really like her, don't you?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Of course I like her, Emmett. I wouldn't have driven all the way to New York and back if—"

"No, I mean, you _really_ like her. I've never heard you this way in all the years I've known you, Ed. Even with Tanya, and you guys _lived_ together, for fuck sake," he interrupted me in an astonished tone.

I sighed heavily in defeat, knowing that lying to him would get me nowhere, and he'd most likely see through me anyway. There was no point to it. And who better to talk to that my best friend. "I think I'm in love with her."


	14. Reality

**Late Night Encounters 13 ~Reality**

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out the doors and into the California sun, spotting Rose's red convertible immediately and taking the few steps to the car. Once I was inside, she abruptly pulled away from the curb, causing me to grip the armrest firmly. I could tell from her body language that she was waiting for me to start talking, but I had no idea where to begin. _Who was Edward?_ Well, that was a loaded question if I ever heard one. How could I explain it and not appear crazy... or crazi_er_?

_Edward is the man I met online a few months ago, who I'm pretty sure I'm madly in love with, _just didn't seem to help quell the craziness factor. Admitting to being in love in a _conventional_ relationship this quickly would cause even the most liberal eyebrows to rise, let alone _our_ relationship. Yet, I couldn't imagine any other way to explain the way I was feeling, the horrible ache of being so far away from him.

"I'm not going to tell Alice," Rose spoke suddenly, her eyes fixed on the road in front of her. "Or your dad. It's not my place. But Bella, why didn't you just tell us? It's like you're ashamed of it or something, and that's not the least bit reassuring."

I glanced over at her briefly before gazing back out the window. On reflection, I realized that was _exactly_ how I'd acted, both in the past and at the airport. However, of all the ways I'd imagined _any_one finding out about Edward, a misdirected text messages was _not _one of them. I'd wanted to be fully prepared to face it, not blindsided by an abrupt confrontation. And having it happen with Rose probably _wasn't _the best case scenario.

"I'm not ashamed. It's just hard to explain," I replied, hugging myself tightly around the waist.

"Why don't you try me?" she retorted tensely through clenched teeth, finally looking over to me for the first time.

"Because you'll freak out and I'd rather not do it while you're driving," I tried to reason with her to buy me at least a little more time to collect my thoughts.

"I'm not the freak-out queen. That would be Alice. And why would we freak out, anyway? We've been trying to get you out there meeting people for _ever_ now," she rambled, pressing her palms against the steering wheel as her fingers flexed.

_Rip the band-aid off, Bella_.

"I kinda met him online," I said quickly, giving a slight yelp when her hands abruptly gripped the steering wheel and her horn blared as her thumbs hit the buttons. "No freaking out, remember?"

Yet her silence was even more unnerving than her screaming would have been. Her face was emotionless as she took deep controlled breaths, giving no indication of her reaction. Her head suddenly tilted from side to side and her hands moved to grip the top of the steering wheel. Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for the onslaught.

"Okay, so you're telling me," Rose began, speaking in a slow, measured tone. "That you just flew across the country to meet a complete stranger you came across on the internet. By your_self_?"

"And you ask me _why_ I didn't tell you?" I replied with a heavy sigh of frustration. "He's not a 'complete stranger'. It's not like that."

Rose's eyes widened slightly at my outburst, but I was beyond tired of hiding and lying. The means by which we met was quickly becoming irrelevant, overshadowed by the week we'd just spent together. I'd never been as happy as Edward made me, and I loved him. Nothing else mattered more than that.

"How long has this been going on?" Rose asked after a moment, clearing her throat and glancing over to me briefly.

"A few months. Since the night I went to that party with you and Alice," I replied with a careless shrug.

"You went online looking for a man while you were _smashed_?" Rose exclaimed with wide eyes and then let out a chuckle. "Oh, this is classic. But then again, I guess that _does _beat Eric Yorkie."

"Not exactly my crowning moment, but yeah," I laughed nervously, nodding as I adjusted myself in the seat. "I really don't know what I was thinking in my alcohol induced insanity, but it turned out to be the best thing I've ever done."

We drove in silence for a while and I observed her face as she was obviously processing what I'd just told her. Yet, I already felt a huge burden lifted from my shoulders, instantly feeling lighter. For the first time, Edward didn't feel like some dirty little skeleton buried deep in the back of my proverbial closet. The prospect of being able to talk about him, even if only to one person, was refreshing. More of a relief than I'd ever imagined.

Rose drew in a deep breath as we pulled to a stop outside my apartment building, shutting off the car and looking over to me after a moment. "You really could have just told us, you know. I mean, people do this all the time, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," I replied softly, nodding as she repeated Edward's logic and my eyes rose to meet her gaze. "But would you have let me go to New York this week?"

"Not a fucking chance in hell," Rose scoffed with a laugh, shaking her head. "Not without one of us there with you. I don't care _how_ common it is. You are still our friend and there's _always_ the chance of him being a complete nut job."

"That's just one of the many reasons why. I really needed this time with him," I said softly, looking down to my lap. "It's hard to explain, but there was just no way that Edward could be a psycho. He's just ... so great."

"Well, how about we go upstairs, make some coffee and you can tell me all about this 'great Edward' before I have to go meet Alice," she replied, reaching into the back seat for my carry-on and exiting the car before I could even respond.

_Here goes nothing._

**x-x-x**

"Holy shit, Bella," Rose exclaimed from the couch as I poured two cups of coffee in the kitchen, her wide eyes locked on the screen of my phone. "I think I'm gonna need a link to that website if there's men like _this_ on there."

"I think I just got lucky, Rose," I laughed nervously, praying that she wouldn't press the matter. "And you've never had problems in that area, unlike some of us."

"Yeah, right," she scoffed as I settled beside her, folding my legs under me as I took a sip of coffee, and she held the phone out to me. "Did I mention 'holy _shit_!'?"

Glancing at the screen, Edward's smiling face stared back at me. My heart constricted from missing him, but the corners of my mouth lifted slightly as I gazed at him, while also amused by her reaction. "The picture doesn't do him justice. Believe me."

"Well then, be still my beating heart because he is fucking _gorgeous_. And a _doctor_ at that?" she replied, turning the phone back to her and shaking her head in disbelief. "Guess I'd want to keep him all to myself, too."

"That wasn't why, but yeah, I was pretty speechless myself when I first saw him," I smiled shyly, setting my mug on the table. "And even that was through a webcam, which never gives a truly accurate display."

"Webcam, huh?" Rose smirked suggestively, handing my phone back to me and I felt the heat building in my face. "So, what the hell is he still doing in Chicago? Or better yet, how did you even get on that plane? If that was in New York, believe me, I would _not_ be three thousand miles away. I'd still be tapping that—"

"Rose," I groaned, burying my face in my hands while she laughed beside me. Suddenly, it seemed as if maybe Alice _would_ have been the better person to find out about this. Taking a deep breath and composing myself, I let my hands fall and glanced over to her again. "It's only been a few months. We can't just uproot our lives yet. I still have another semester left of school, and he's got his job. It's not that simple."

"Bullshit. You love him, right?" she replied and I took a deep breath, nodding slowly. "And he loves you?"

"I ... I don't know. I mean, we haven't really discussed anything like that," I mumbled, shaking my head with my eyes downcast, picking at a loose thread on the couch.

"Wait a minute," she exclaimed sharply, turning in her seat to face me fully. "That text was the _first time_?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"Are you _crazy_?" she asked, smacking her hand on her forehead. "You best thank your lucky stars that it went to me instead, then. That is the absolute _worst_ way to tell someone how you feel. Why didn't you just tell him in New York?"

I sighed heavily, tears forming in my eyes as I realized that she was right. If Edward had actually received that text, I would've appeared like the biggest coward in the world. "I wasn't thinking, Rose. I guess I was scared. I've _never_ felt this was about someone before. He's just _so_ amazing, I don't want anything to ruin it. I know he cares about me, but what if it's not like _that_ for him yet?"

Rose pressed her fingers to her temple and closed her eyes, taking a long draw of breath. "Okay. So, you've met this 'amazing' man, who brought you to New York on a moment's notice, for _New Year's Eve_, no less. Treated you like a fucking queen for an entire week, from the sounds of it." She paused, opening her eyes to look at me and I nodded in agreement. "And in your words, gave you the most incredible time of your life, and I don't think we're just talking about skipping through the tulips here. And you're _really_ worried about how he feels about you? _Now_?"

"It's kinda fast, isn't it? Even if we'd been dating face to face all this time, we would still be in the epic male freak-out stage of our relationship," I replied with wide eyes, slightly astonished by her response.

"Bella, there's no set time scale for these kinds of things. They just happen. And if you _really_ love him, he deserves something much better than an impulsive text message," she said pointedly, her eyes gesturing to my phone sitting between us. "A man like that certainly wouldn't need to travel halfway across the country for sex."

"Rose!" I gasped, my eyes widening even more and my cheeks flushing.

"Do you really think I'm stupid? I can't imagine that you spent night after night in a hotel room with this sinfully handsome man, playing checkers," she replied, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Besides that, it's _so_ obvious."

"What? How?"

"When was the last time you got laid before this, Bella? I rest my case," she said before I could reply, and I rested back heavily on the couch. "You have been so uptight since the day I met you, and now you're just ... different. You're far too relaxed, especially given this situation here. Telltale sign of a woman who's had her body properly worked."

"So, what's your point, Rose?" I sighed exasperatedly in an attempt to sway her away from that particular topic.

"My point is," she started, leaning her arm on the back of the couch. "If that was all he wanted, he could have easily gotten that in Chicago, without the expense of a last minute trip to New York, during the _holidays_. You need to tell him, Bella. You two are planning on seeing each other again soon, right?"

"Yeah. Well, I mean, I'm hoping to get out to Chicago for Spring Break," I replied, trying to shrug it off casually.

"Oh no, that won't do. You need to clear this up before then. Can you call him?"

Looking down at my watch, I shook my head and ran my free hand through my hair. "No, he's still got a few more hours on the road. But he's supposed to call when he gets home."

"Perfect. Gives you time to prepare then," Rose smiled, lifting herself off the couch and grabbing her purse.

"What, tonight?" I exclaimed, watching her as she walked toward the door.

"Grab the bulls by the horn, Bella. You were ready to tell him in that text, so what's the problem?" she replied over her shoulder and I rose from the couch to see her out. Stepping out into the hallway, she paused momentarily and turned back to face me. "But don't you dare think you are going to Chicago alone. I'm going to meet Mr. Wonderful and see with my own two eyes the man who successfully swept my best friend off her feet, where so many others have failed."

"Rose," I groaned in a warning tone.

"Don't worry, I am quite positive they have hotels in Chicago," she retorted sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "I may be glad you're finally getting some, but I do _not_ want to listen to it."

_**EPOV**_

Once I got Emmett to shut up about my sudden revelation, I was finally allowed to focus on the task at hand; getting home to call Bella.

Although I was slightly nervous about the frame of mind she would be in following her talk with her friend, I was also anxious to hear her voice again. Em had told me, in no uncertain terms, that I was an idiot for allowing her to board that plane without telling her how I felt about her, and I honestly couldn't have agreed more. I had three months before I would have that opportunity again, and I wasn't sure that I could wait that long. Nor should _she _have to. I'd have to resort to the next best thing.

The webcam. I needed to see her face when I told her exactly how much she meant to me, and for her to see me.

With images of her beautiful face running through my mind, I reached over to turn the radio up and began scanning through the stations. Just as quickly, I shut it off completely, as it wasn't serving to distract my mind as I'd hoped; in fact, it only contradicted my attempts.

Hours passed slowly as I cruised along the seemingly endless highways until I finally crossed the border into Illinois. My eyes were growing heavy and I rolled my windows down to allow the stinging cold air to shock me back into full alertness.

When I finally pulled into my spot in front of my building, I turned off the car and leaned back in the seat. Closing my eyes for a moment, I could already feel the fatigue threatening to consume me. I shook my head abruptly, reaching for my phone in the passenger seat.

"Call Bella," I said into the phone, rubbing my eyes and then widening them to wake myself up.

"Hello, Edward," I heard her soft, beautiful voice come through and I smiled in response.

"Hi, baby," I replied, relaxing back into the seat again. For all my worrying about her demeanor when I finally called, I was relieved to hear her calm—even if a little tired—her smile evident in her voice. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's great. She was surprisingly laid back about it, especially for Rose. Once the initial shock of it all wore off," she chuckled and I couldn't help but return it.

"Good, I'm glad. I told you everything would be fine," I said calmly with a smile.

"Yeah, I know," she groaned playfully. "Rub it in a little more."

"Son of a bitch!" I exclaimed as the alarm of the car parked beside me began wailing, and I reluctantly opened my door.

"Edward, where are you?" she asked in an amused tone.

"I _was_ in my car," I replied with a wince, as the sound reverberated off the aluminum cover above me. Quickly grabbing my bag from the trunk, I headed into the welcome silence of the building.

"Couldn't wait until you were inside?" she teased and I rolled my eyes. "I'm glad. I miss you."

Her voice softened even more and took on an almost sad tone. My heart clenched in response as I entered my apartment and tossed my bag to the side. There was nothing I could really do to comfort her or take her mind off how far apart we were. I was finding difficulty doing so for myself, as well. "I miss you, too, Bella. I hope the next few months pass quickly."

"Same here," she sighed heavily and I heard the distinguishable creak of her settling onto her bed. Kicking my shoes off, I laid down myself, still fully clothed and unwilling to expend the energy to change. "I have no idea how I'm going to sleep tonight. You've ruined me."

We both laughed simultaneously and my eyes closed of their own volition, stifling a yawn behind my hand. As I rested my arm over my face, I could still smell her on my sleeve from holding her that morning in the hotel room. It had barely diminished in all the time since I'd left New York and I inhaled deeply, enjoying the small amount of comfort it brought me. Even with her thousands of miles away, she was still soothing me. "We have some damn good memories together, though."

"Mmm, I can agree with you there," she hummed contentedly. "And thank you for calling me, even though you sound absolutely exhausted. I feel much better knowing you're home safe. We're on for tomorrow at seven, right?"

My brow furrowed in confusion and then I ran my hand down my face, rolling my eyes at my momentary lapse in thought. It was time to return to our routine, meeting every night through technology rather than touch. "I'll log on as soon as I get home."

"Alright, get some sleep, baby," she said gently, and I smiled at the endearment that she rarely used while not in a sexual setting.

"I'll make it up to you tomorrow, I promise," I mumbled as I reached over to set my alarm and settled back into my bed.

She was silent for a prolonged moment and then whispered softly. "Goodnight, Edward."

**x-x-x**

Throughout the entire drive to work the next morning, my mind was racing. I'd dreamt of Bella, as I often did, but it was so much different. I'd woken up in the middle of the night with my heart racing and sweat beading on my forehead, as I attempted to clear the images from my mind. However, in spite of being exhausted, my mind would not succumb to sleep again as I ran every possible scenario through my head. I could still see her face from my dream as I told her I loved her, and then the screen going black.

I'd had every intention of telling Bella how I felt about her the night before, but the idea of telling her that I loved her for the first time in that exhausted state seemed wrong. I wanted her to know that it wasn't just some mindless declaration. Yet, particularly after the dream, I began wondering if it was too soon. If it _would _actually frighten her and cause me to lose the best thing that had ever happened to me. Glorious as it might have been, we'd only been face-to-face that one week. And I still wanted to be certain of what this meant to her before uttering the three seemingly simple words that would effectively change everything—one way or the other.

As I walked toward the doors of the ER, I spotted Emmett standing beside them with his arms folded over his chest and a wide grin on his face.

"Welcome back, Doc. Did you bring me anything?" he called out to me as I approached, his smile broadening more. "So what'd she say?"

I rolled my eyes as I passed him, moving inside to begin my day. "Good morning, Emmett."

"Uh oh," he replied, following me into the lounge. "You're crabby. That's never a good sign. What happened?"

"Nothing. I didn't tell her," I mumbled as I opened my locker to stow away my jacket and grab my white coat.

"What?" he exclaimed and I glared pointedly at him as I closed the door. "You're still _going_ to, aren't you?"

"Of course, just not entirely sure when," I replied, hooking my stethoscope around my neck.

"Edward, all joking aside, you _need_ to. You love her, right? What do you have to worry about?" Emmett asked, shaking his head.

"How about it not being reciprocated? Ever think about that?" I retorted sharply, my jaw tensing as I made my way out of the room and down the hall toward my office.

I felt his heavy arm resting across my shoulders as he caught up to me. "With everything you told me yesterday about your trip _and_ her, I'm sure you're over-thinking things _way_ too much. So, when am I gonna see a picture of this lovely lady?"

I sighed and shook my head with a slight laugh at his abrupt change of subject as we approached the office door. "The day after never, how's that work for you?"

"I'll get it out of you someday," he laughed, smacking my arm and continuing past the door. "Have a good day, Doc!"

Walking into my office, I settled back in my chair and stared at my desk as I powered up the computer. For the first time, I realized just how bare it actually was. Nothing personal on it that would distinguish it as mine from any other desk, aside from the thin brass plate at the front the read 'Dr. Edward Cullen, M.D.'.

Emmett's mention of the picture made me realize just how much I would enjoy even a small frame with her face staring back at me from it. To still have her there in some way; a reminder that she was actually part of my life, outside of a computer.

Before catching up on the emails I had missed, I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was only 5:30 in California; calling her was out of the question. Therefore, I opted for an email.

_To:bella(dot)swan(at)ucla(dot)edu_

_Good morning, beautiful. Hope you have a good day, and can't wait to see you tonight. Miss you._

_Edward_

_P.S. Could you email me the picture from your phone when you get a chance?  
_  
As I began to scan through the numerous emails that had accumulated during my week away, five more arrived in my inbox. However, the only one that stood out for me was one from Bella, with an attachment.

_I can't tell you how many times I've looked at this myself. Have a good day. Miss you too._

_Bella_

Opening the attachment, the picture filled my screen and a smile crept across my lips as I gazed at her face. I could almost feel her arms around me and her head resting against my chest as I had that day; both comforting and making me ache from missing her even more, all at once.

After setting it as my background, I returned to my inbox to reply.

_Thank you, baby. What are you doing up so early?_

A quick perusal of the remaining messages showed nothing requiring my immediate attention, so I set about readying for my day. The computer chimed again and I leaned forward with my hand on the desk, and read the newest message.  
_  
Mike has the flu and work called me to cover. Are you on the floor yet?_

I chuckled, pulling my phone from my pocket and dialing her.

"Well, I guess that answers my question," she laughed, answering after the first ring and I sat back down, enjoying the sound.

"I will be in a few minutes. What's up?" I asked, closing out of my email and staring briefly at the background one last time before shutting off my monitor.

"Nothing. Just wanted to hear your voice. Being awake before the sun is even fully up doesn't exactly rank high on my list of things that make for a good morning," she groaned tiredly.

"At least it will make the day pass more quickly," I replied encouragingly and she hummed in agreement. "However, I _do_ need to get out there in a minute. You'll still be home tonight, right?"

"Of course, I get off at four. Why?" she asked, with an almost worried tone to her voice.

"Just making sure. I really need to talk to you tonight," I said seriously, as I stood and walked to the door.

"Okay," she replied hesitantly and I heard her draw in a deep breath. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything is fine," I sighed as the conversation I needed to have with her began bombarding me. Finding myself hoping more fervently that she felt this longing that I did, that she needed me even a fraction of how much I needed her. "I'll call you when I get home."

"Okay, I'll talk to you later," she replied nervously.

"It's nothing to worry about, Bella," I said gently, knowing that she was probably running every worst-case scenario through her mind as we spoke. "Bye, baby."

**x-x-x**

The day seemed to take an eternity to pass before I was finally able to leave for the evening, leaving plenty of time for my thoughts to wander. How was I going to approach it with her? We'd already had a similar conversation several weeks before, and in many ways, it seemed as if we would just be rehashing everything all over again.

However, a lot had changed since then, as well. Not only had we physically touched, but also, I'd had emotions evoked in me that I had never experienced with any other woman. I was in love with her; there was no doubt in my mind about that. And with that came the accompanying fear, as my subconscious had clearly delineated in my dream the night before.

Many conflicting thoughts had been racing through my mind all day long. There were countless moments over the course of our week together that I had seen hints of her feelings for me; her adoring gazes, her beautiful smile as she looked at me and even her tears as we said goodbye.

However, the devil's advocate part of me kept insisting that while she may miss and care about me, it didn't necessarily mean that her feelings matched the depth of mine. And the last thing I wanted was to push her away.

My heart began racing as I stepped into my apartment, staring across the room at the computer. Looking down at my watch, I saw that I was already a few minutes late for the call, as I'd been caught up in last minute details at the hospital that night. So, I bypassed the kitchen and moved immediately to my desk, to the more pressing need at the moment; talking to Bella.

The instant the computer booted fully, I reached for my headset to call her, but as with so many instances in the past, she beat me to it.

"Hey, how was your day?" I asked as I settled into my chair, leaning back to relax.

"Very long," she laughed humorlessly and then sighed. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Bella," I started, running my hand through my hair. "You didn't spend all day worrying about this, did you?"

"Did you really expect me _not_ to?" she replied seriously, and her face suddenly appeared on my screen as she turned on her webcam and I immediately followed suit.

"Baby, I told you there was nothing to worry about," I said, mentally kicking myself for causing her any kind of distress, as I apparently had.

"Well, it sounded pretty important. Is it about us?" she asked softly, her eyes falling into her lap and fidgeting slightly in her chair.

I sighed heavily at the sight of her distraught face, wishing once again that I could be there to hold her and ease any fear she might have. Yet, I needed to be honest as well. "In a sense, yes."

She nodded without raising her eyes, her arms hugging around her waist. "So, what's wrong?"

"Nothing is _wrong_, Bella. Look at me," I replied gently and her gaze slowly lifted to meet mine. "I had an amazing time with you last week."

"But ..." she whispered quietly, drawing in a deep breath. "You've changed your mind about Chicago?"

"No 'but', and I definitely have _not_ changed my mind about Chicago. I just did a lot of thinking while I was driving home," I continued and she remained silent as she gazed at me expectantly. "New York changed a lot for me, and I'm hoping it's the same for you, as well." I ran my hand over the back of my neck nervously. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think we need to discuss where we are now."

She let out a heavy breath and ran her hands over her face. "God, you scared me. That was definitely _not_ what I thought this was about. But I've been thinking along the same lines."

"Have you?" I asked in surprise and she nodded with a soft laugh. "And what exactly have you been thinking?"

"That I never thought it was possible to miss someone this much. That this won't be enough for you now," she replied, biting her lip gently. "That I've never been as happy in my life as I was this last week with you, and now, I'm even more terrified of losing it. Of losing you."

I released a heavy breath of relief as she echoed every thought I'd had in the last twenty-four hours. At the very least, we were on the same page there. "You're not losing me, baby. I can't even begin to imagine my life without you."

"I guess we really _do_ have a talk coming, huh?" she chuckled nervously, straightening slightly in her chair. "I've actually been wanting to since I got home. Guess I've just been afraid of your reaction."

I watched as she bit down lightly on her thumbnail, her gaze once again averted from me. "Bella, you can talk to me about anything."

She reached for the water bottle in front of her and took a long drink, licking her lips as she screwed the cap back on. "You know that text I sent yesterday that accidentally went to Rose? Well, it wasn't exactly 'nothing'."

My eyes widened as I began wondering exactly what that text could have entailed that would've caused a reaction such as the frantic phone call from the airport.

Her eyes rose and she laughed softly, most likely at my expression. "It wasn't anything like _that_. It might have actually been easier to explain if it had been, in retrospect."

"Then what?" I asked curiously.

"Well," she began hesitantly, bringing both her knees to her chest and hugging them against her. "A lot changed for me in New York, too. A _lot_. Being with you every day, seeing more of the man underneath. It sounds so lame, saying that out loud, but it made me view you so much differently."

She shook her head and paused, resting her chin on her knees and finally looked back to me.

"I can't be without you, Edward. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm in love with you."

My breath halted as hers released heavily with her statement, and my eyes widened more. "What?"

"I know, I know, it's too soon. And I don't expect you to say it back, but I needed to and—"

"Bella," I cut her off mid-word, her lips still parted as she froze. "_That's _what the text said?"

She sighed heavily, lifting her phone into her hands and began scrolling. A moment later, my phone buzzed in my pocket and I retrieved it to find a forwarded text message from Bella.

_I love you, Edward. ~B_

I was stunned speechless as I stared at the simple words on the screen of my phone, causing my heart to pound in my chest and a smile to tug at my lips. _She loved me_.

Glancing up, I saw her forehead resting on her knees, hiding her face from my view. Hitting reply, I typed a simple message in return.

_Bella, look up._

I heard her phone ring through the mic and she turned her head to the side to read, before finally bringing those beautiful, tear-filled eyes to meet mine.

"I love you, too," I whispered softly, and after a moment, a smile formed on her lips. "So much."


	15. A Dash of Spice

**A/n: Thank you all for your continued support, as well as all the new readers who have come in along the way. You have all been amazing and encouraging, and I couldn't love you all more. :)**

**In addition, the second half of this chapter (the EPOV) was originally supposed to be an outtake for one of my Fandom Gives Back recipients, Nikki. However, as the outtake unfolded, it held certain elements that I could not see not being included in the story itself. So thank you Nikki, for inspiring the base idea of the section of this chapter and for being so patient in receiving your outtake. :)**

**Late Night Encounters 14 ~ A Dash of Spice**

_I can't be without you, Edward. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm in love with you."_

I'd said the words and there was no taking them back. I released the breath I'd been holding as I took in his expression, his face frozen and unreadable, and I felt my stomach flip nervously.

"I know, I know, it's too soon. And I don't expect you to say it back, but I needed to and—" I rambled as I attempted to preserve whatever dignity I had remaining.

"Bella," he stopped me suddenly and I couldn't even bring myself to breathe in again. His expression was still devoid of any emotion other than shock, and my throat tightened in anxious anticipation. "_That's _what the text said?"

I gazed at him for another moment before releasing a heavy sigh and grabbing my phone off the desk. I couldn't look at him anymore without risking the traitorous tears that were threatening to fall. My eyes moved to the screen of my phone, scrolling through the numerous texts from Alice that had filtered in throughout the day, apologizing for missing lunch, yet again. Until I came across the misdirected text to Rose.

_I love you, Edward. ~B_

I stared at the four words displayed on the screen before swallowing nervously and forwarding it to the intended recipient. Wrapping my arms around my bent legs, I rested my forehead against my knees to hide the tears that had now fallen over my lids as I heard Edward's phone buzz with the incoming text.

His silence that followed unnerved me and I refused to look up, dreading what I might see in his eyes. I knew Edward well enough to know that he would never intentionally do or say anything to hurt me, and that knowledge gave me a slight respite from the overwhelming fear. The only thing that scared me was the awkwardness that was bound to arise between us with my revelation if the feelings were in fact one-sided.

However, I couldn't bring myself to regret telling him how I felt, either. I'd spent the entire night before kicking myself for chickening out when I finally spoke to him. I'd come so close when we were saying goodnight, but he'd sounded so tired after his long drive. And I knew it wasn't something that could be left dangling in the air as we said goodbye. The thought that I might have missed my chance, with his words on the phone that morning, plagued my mind all day.

The infamous 'we need to talk'.

I couldn't focus on anything else throughout the day, often catching myself staring off aimlessly behind the counter as the lines of waiting customers formed. How would I manage my life without him, especially since he'd become such an integral part of my life? I ran dozens of random moments of our week together through my mind, remembering his smile, how he held me as we lay together in bed, running his fingers gently through my hair. The piercing way he gazed into my eyes the moment before his lips touched mine. And rather than scaring me away as it once would, all of these details made one thing abundantly clear; it was more important than ever to tell him how I felt about him.

No matter what, he deserved to know, just as much as I _needed_ him to.

With each moment of his silence, I felt the unpleasant knot in the pit of my stomach forming. As my phone vibrated in my hand, I simply turned my head to the side with my temple resting on my knee to hide my face while I read the new text from Edward. If not for the current situation between us, I would have laughed at the absurdity of it— texting me instead of speaking into the mic.

_Bella, look up. _

Drawing in a deep breath, I bit nervously on my lower lip and lifted my eyes to gaze at his face. His expression was serene and his amazing smile stretched across his face.

"I love you, too," he whispered and my entire body froze. I searched his eyes and face frantically, and nothing changed. He was almost eerily calm, leaving me no reason to doubt his sincerity and the first genuine smile I'd had all day pulled at the corners of my mouth. "So much."

"Really?" I asked before I could stop myself, and an almost girlish giggle escaped my lips. I lowered my legs and rested my elbows on my desk, covering my face with my hands. All the energy I'd wasted throughout the day worrying about that conversation caught up with me all at once, and my body began trembling with the tears that began relentlessly falling from my eyes.

"Bella, are you alright?" he inquired softly and my hands abruptly fell, and I nodded. "Not exactly the reaction I was expecting. Why are you crying?"

I gazed at the worried expression in his eyes and I shook my head with a smile. "I don't know. I'm just... relieved, I guess. That and I wish you weren't so far away. Isn't this supposed to be a 'seal it with a kiss' moment?"

He released an uncomfortable laugh and his eyebrows rose as he bobbed his head from side to side in thought. "I guess so. But the only other alternative would have been to wait until March."

"Yeah, that wasn't an option at all. I would have exploded by then." I chuckled in response, shaking my head and lowering my eyes, running my finger distractedly along the edge of my desk.

"I'm pretty sure I would have, too," he said quietly and when he didn't speak again after a moment, I looked back to him, noticing that the nervousness had reappeared on his face. "So, where does that leave us now?"

"Well," I started and waited for his eyes to raise back to mine questioningly. "I don't think the label of 'exclusive internet lover' is exactly appropriate anymore."

"Yeah, that does sound a bit tacky for this, huh?" Edward nodded in amusement, folding his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair. I chuckled nervously, tucking my hands inside the sleeves of my shirt to keep myself from biting my nails. "I guess that would make you my ... girlfriend?"

My smile grew and I felt my cheeks heat with excitement. "Girlfriend. I like it."

We continued to talk for hours, and for once, sex was the furthest thing from my mind as I gazed at him. I was completely wrapped up in the moment with him, wanting every memory of it to be absolutely perfect—and it was. Right down to the first 'I love you' from each us before we said goodnight.

When I finally forced him to go to bed, I grabbed my phone and called the only person I could share this with. "I have a boyfriend, Rose!"

"I'm happy for you," she mumbled groggily into the phone and it was only then that I looked at the time.

It was nearly midnight.

"Shit, I'm sorry. I didn't realize what time it was. I just had to tell someone," I mumbled apologetically.

"Hold up," Rose interrupted, suddenly becoming more alert. "What did you say?"

"I talked to Edward tonight. I told him everything," I replied, biting my lip in an attempt to contain my excitement. "He loves me, Rose."

"I told you that you were worrying over nothing," she said in a satisfied tone, chuckling softly.

**x-x-x**

The next several weeks passed and we fell back into our routine—nightly meetings online, satisfying each other as best as we could through the internet. While the addition of the 'I love yous' exchanged at the end of every call still sent a thrill shooting through me, after spending that week in his arms and actually feeling everything he was now only describing to me, I was aching even more for March.

And we were only at the end of January.

The previous Saturday – before he'd begun his excruciatingly long week on call – I'd received my itinerary for my flight to Chicago, giving me a momentary burst of excitement and I immediately forwarded the email to Edward.

However, it just as quickly ebbed as I glanced at the date of the flight, remembering that it was still seven weeks away, and I missed him even more.

"Why the long face, Miss Young and In Love?" Rose said, bringing me back to the present as she straddled the bench on the opposite side of the picnic table. "Things not going well with Dr. Green Eyes?"

"No. I mean, yes, everything's fine," I replied, looking up from my phone and giving her a weak smile. She quirked an eyebrow at me knowingly and I sighed. "It's just … I didn't think it was going to be this hard. Being away from him. And now with him being on call this past week—"

"What about the sex life?" she asked with a chuckle as she interrupted me, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Rose," I groaned, covering my face with my hands in embarrassment. Although we'd touched lightly on the topic of my nightly activities with Edward, I still wasn't entirely comfortable openly discussing the intimate details of my relationship. "It's fine."

"Just 'fine'? That shouldn't be the case for at _least_ six months. The honeymoon phase hasn't even passed yet," she replied, shaking her head. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I sighed heavily, but she leaned forward on the table insistently.

"Who else are you going to talk to, Bella? Alice?" she retorted sarcastically with a roll of her eyes, and I knew she was right. Aside from Edward, there was no one else I _could_ talk to, as I still hadn't seen Alice more than in brief passing in school since I'd been home. "So spill."

I took a deep breath, nervously picking at the spiral binding of my notebook. "It's still good, Rose. I'm not complaining. It's just that, after actually _being_ with him, I kinda always want more. And this week, I've only gotten to talk to him once, and a couple of text messages. But that's normal, right? I mean, I love him and I want to be with him so much."

"I think I'd be more worried if you _weren't _feeling this way. But you still have a while before you can be with him, so why not make the best of what you have?" she replied casually with a shrug. "Get inventive."

"What do you mean?" I asked with a furrowed brow.

"Spice things up, Isabella Swan," she persisted and looked down at her watch. "How long do you have until he gets off work?"

I glanced down at my phone and brought my eyes back to Rose. "Six hours, why?"

"Okay, pack it up, we're going shopping," she said quickly, reaching across the table to gather my books.

"What?"

Grabbing my elbow and bag, she pulled me up from my seat. "You heard me. Take a break from studying, it's Sunday. Day of rest and all that, and we don't have time to waste."

"But Rose, that's due tomorrow," I replied fruitlessly as she aimed us for the parking lot.

**EPOV **

The past week had been hell, and it was still three hours from finally being over. The last time I'd had a free moment to even text Bella was the night before, and it'd been three days since I'd actually spoken to her. I'd definitely underestimated how difficult the week would be until I'd actually experienced it.

It was my first week on call since returning home from New York, and if I'd thought it was unbearable before that trip, I'd been entirely mistaken.

After having Bella beside me almost constantly for an entire week, feeling her lips against mine, her body writhing both above and beneath me—_real life_ was the unbearable part.

Just as I was reaching for my phone to send her a quick text while I ate, it began vibrating in my pocket and I instantly smiled. Knowing it was probably Bella just getting home, I pulled it out and glanced down at the screen, and subsequently let out a heavy sigh.

_Knew that would get ya. LOL -Em_

My eyes rose to find Emmett laughing at the entrance to the cafeteria. I attempted to disguise my hand gesture by discreetly running it through my hair as I placed a chip in my mouth with the other hand. I lifted the phone again to text Bella, and once again, it began vibrating.

_Come on, Doc. Don't be that way._

Taking a slow, deep breath to calm myself, I hit reply.

_Only have 10 minutes left. Haven't talked to her all day._

No sooner did I send it and the phone buzzed in my hand again, causing me to close my eyes and growl in frustration. _One simple text, that's all I'm asking for_. "Damn it, Emmett."

"What?" His voice sounded in front of me and I opened my eyes to find him standing at my table. "You seem a little bit testy there, Edward. Think you might need some relaxation techniques when you get home tonight."

I rolled my eyes as he chuckled and winked, attempting to ignore him by looking down at my messages. My smile returned when I viewed her name on the text and opened it.

_I'm home and waiting for you. xo B_

"Just ready for this week to be over," I replied distractedly as I waited for the attachment to load from the message. Slowly, her beautiful face appeared on the screen, the pure innocence of the picture took my breath away. There was a soft smile on her lips and her dark hair cascaded over her white satin pillows. But it was the subtle glint in her eyes that was reserved only for me and the way her tight gray t-shirt stretched snugly across her perfect breasts that caused me to bite back a groan.

"Okay, you haven't so much as blinked in over thirty seconds. What's up?" Emmett said suddenly and I casually attempted to adjust my reaction to the picture. "Wow, that must really be one hell of a message."

'Fuck you,' I mouthed with raised eyebrows as I went back to the text and hit reply.

_Can't wait to be there, baby. 3 more hours. xo ~E_

"Wow, frustrated much, Doc?" Emmett chuckled, biting into his apple with a smirk.

I sighed heavily, opening the picture again and glancing down at it. The only other picture I had on my phone that was appropriate to show him was one I had taken of her in New York as she slept against my chest. We'd laid down in the middle of the afternoon after a busy morning of walking around the city, and almost the instant she curled herself against my side, she was fast asleep. It was nothing sexual at all—just the simple comfort with each other and the peaceful moment. And because of that, it was far too personal and intimate. However, Emmett had been nagging at me for weeks about seeing what Bella looked like, so I scanned through my email to find the one she'd sent me. When I finally found it, I opened the attachment and held out my phone to him.

"If you were stuck here and had this waiting at home for you, wouldn't _you_ be frustrated, too?"

Emmett's eyes widened as he took in the image, grabbing my phone from my hand for a closer look. "Damn! _This_ is what you left behind? Shit, I can see why you're so damn edgy."

"Yes, now give me back my phone," I said urgently as I heard it buzzing in his hand, but he kept dodging my attempts to reach it. "Emmett, seriously, I'm on limited time here. I have to get back to the floor soon."

Emmett shook his head, gazing at her picture for a moment longer before handing my phone back to me. "I honestly don't know how you do it, man. If I had someone like that almost two thousand miles away from me, I'd be on the next fucking flight to LAX."

"I do it because I have to, Em," I replied tensely as I glanced down at the screen again to read the incoming text.

_Hope you're not too tired. I have a surprise for you. Rose took me shopping ;)_

"What a crock of shit. They have hospitals in LA, you know," Emmett blurted as my thumbs moved over the keys to respond.

I ignored him as well as I possibly could, certainly not needing him to point out things that I'd already thought about myself. "If logistics were the only problem, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"There's no snow in California, either," he said suddenly and my brow knitted together as I looked up to him, and then glanced out the window he was pointing at and grimaced at the sight. Endless sheets of Chicago snow blanketed the view and had begun to accumulate along the bottom ledge over the course of the afternoon. Sighing heavily, I added to my text before sending.

_Get anything interesting? I'll be home asap. Bad storm._

"First of all, she's not _from_ California, she just goes to _school_ there," I grunted in frustration, lifting my tray and rising from the table, with Emmett following close behind me. "Once she graduates, who knows where she'll be. And until then, neither of us can really make any kind of decision like that."

"And you're just gonna keep cranking your shank until then?" Emmett exclaimed gruffly as we walked out of the cafeteria.

"A little louder, why don't you. I don't think _every_ wing of the hospital quite caught that," I hissed under my breath, calming as I heard my phone again. "And no, we'll see each other before then. That's what visits are for."

"She's coming here?" he shouted loudly with wide eyes. "Holy shit!"

"I didn't exactly say that, but yes," I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes as they lowered back to my phone.

_You tell me. Get home safe and this will be there waiting. :P_

Opening the attachment, my breath caught in my throat at the image displayed on my screen. Even without the face, I would know that body anywhere, and her attire was not helping my uncomfortable predicament. Her body draped across her bed, no longer in the snug t-shirt, but now in a silky, dark blue negligee, with lace encircling her ribs. The provocative garment accentuated the swell of her breasts and the soft curves of her waist beautifully, and I physically had to swallow down the moan that threatened to escape me.

"Oh fuck," I heard from beside me, suddenly remembering that Emmett was still there, and my eyes shot over to him. He quickly averted his gaze and cleared his throat. "Man, I'm sorry. But _damn_."

"That's my _girlfriend_ you're panting over," I replied in a warning tone, hurriedly shoving my phone into the pocket of my white coat until I could privately reply to her.

"California is looking better all the time, Eddie." Emmett chuckled, clapping his hand on my shoulder as we re-entered the ER, and he continued down the long corridor while I stopped at the triage desk.

_Wow baby. That was an eyeful, for me AND Emmett._

Stashing my phone in my pocket again, I grabbed the next chart, hoping that engulfing myself with work would help distract me from the straining erection I was now sporting. And suddenly thankful I'd worn jeans under my scrubs today rather than loose pants, as uncomfortable as they made me in my current aroused state. Better to have a more snug restraint than for every nurse and patient staring below my waist. _At least for the next two and a half hours, until I can actually _do_ something about it._

Three patients later, I checked my phone again to discover yet another picture message from Bella. Oh, she was going to be the death of me.

_Did he enjoy the show? Hope ur alone now._

My eyebrows rose at her initial statement, stunned by the boldness of it. Outside of our private conversations together, Bella still tended to be more reserved; this part of her actually excited me a bit.

Scrolling down the attached photo, my heart began pounding in my ears, more so than with the last. She was propped against her pillows in a deep purple, sheer negligee, clearly displaying the outline of each of her perfect breasts and her taut stomach, leading down to the matching panties.

_How am I going to make it through the last couple hours of my shift if she keeps doing this to me?, _I thought to myself.

_Someone is in a mood tonight. ;) Think he enjoyed it a little TOO much. Glad I WAS alone for that. Gotta get back to work._

After stitching up the finger of an adorable three year old little girl, who subsequently insisted that she was going to marry me when she 'got big', I stepped back out into the hall to find that the ER traffic had significantly increased and took one more look at my phone to find five new messages from Bella.

_Well he can always watch, just can't join. Ur the only one that can ever touch this body_

A smile teased at my lips as I read and then scanned through the next few messages, each containing another picture of Bella in various negligees. Biting the inside of my cheek to suppress the moan that was building, as each one was progressively more provocative than the last, I quickly replied to her.

_Damn baby, you are killing me. This shift can't end soon enough. Can't wait to see you. Love you._

**x-x-x**

Finally stepping out of the ER two hours later and into the frigid Chicago night, I sighed heavily at the sight that greeted me. The snowfall had only increased in ferocity, and the plows could barely keep up. I got to my car as quickly as possible, anxious to get home to Bella and see exactly what she had in store for me.

_On my way. Be there soon._

As I started my car, my phone buzzed again and I glanced at the message before backing out. It was a good thing I wasn't already driving, because the picture that was attached to the message was epitome of innocence when it came to underwear. It was just the edge of her hip, showing a hint of the white lacy fabric, and thereby making it almost sexier than everything previous. That was _my _Bella, which of course, caused my erection to return. I didn't even reply to her; simply threw my car into gear and made my way out of the parking lot as quickly as possible.

All of the teasing she had done that night was driving me crazy. I had to get home to see her; it had been too long for both of us. The calls and texts just weren't cutting it anymore. I _had _to see her, even if it was just through the webcam.

Considering the amount of snow on the streets, I made it home fairly quick and pulled my phone out of my pocket, needing to hear her voice. "You are such a dirty tease."

I could hear her laugh softly on the other end, and I could begin to feel the tension releasing from my shoulders even as I trudged through the heavy snow. I had missed that sound so much and could hardly wait to get upstairs. "Well, if you are going to complain about it then maybe I will take everything back, including your surprise."

My only response was to growl at her as I ascended the stairs, shaking out my key ring to grasp the one to my apartment.

"Ooh, maybe someone needs a nap before playtime," she taunted as I tossed my keys on the table next to the door. "Too bad. I already had your surprise ready and waiting to warm you right up. Such a shame to have to put it to waste."

Her tone was playful and I could already feel my body responding to her in anticipation, as the realization struck me that my little vixen had come out to play. And I was anxious to see what she had up her sleeve. Making my way over to the computer, I began powering it up and walked to the kitchen to grab a beer while I waited. "And what would that be?"

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you, now would it?" she replied in a seductive tone as I returned to my desk, my computer already fully booted. "You know what they say about all good things."

"I haven't seen you in seven days, Bella. Patience is not exactly my strong point at the moment," I sighed heavily as I sat down, tilting the bottle to my lips. "Cut me a little bit of slack, it's been a _long_ week."

"Aww, miss me, baby?" She chuckled playfully as I logged into Skype, and almost instantly, I was alerted of her call. "Get on, now."

I hung up the phone as I accepted the call on the computer, adjusting my headset and settling back into my chair. I released a deep groan at the feeling of being able to relax fully, and the knowledge that I was finally back with her.

"God, you have no idea," I breathed out. Even I hadn't been able to anticipate the immensity of how much I would miss her until I'd experienced it. The difference between our separation _before _we'd actually been face to face and now _after_ we had physically touched and kissed, was something I'd never imagined. I needed her more than ever.

"Oh, I think I might have a clue. But I am pretty sure I can make it up to you," she replied, her voice dropping an octave and I adjusted my weight in the chair as I felt myself harden even more. "Now, turn on your cam and close your eyes."

"Bella..."

"Just do it," she whispered and I opened my webcam for her. "Mmm. Hello handsome. Long time, no see."

"Come on, baby," I groaned and heard her giggle in response.

"Not until you close those gorgeous green eyes," she replied teasingly and I sighed in exasperation, reluctantly following her instruction. "Now, do you remember way back in the beginning when we talked about role-playing?"

A deep rumble echoed in my throat and I gripped the arms of my chair, recalling the exact conversation to which she was referring— both of us expressing an interest in experimenting with it, but had never done so with anyone else. And the closest we'd come with each other so far was our experiences of my dominance over her–which she'd made no secret of how much she'd enjoyed that.

However, it wasn't a topic we'd addressed again since.

"Of course," I answered, my head nodding as I spoke.

"Well, since you've never broached the subject again, you've left me no choice but to rely on my own resources," she chided and I could hear the clicking of her mouse buttons. "Now don't open your eyes until I tell you to. Alright?"

I could only nod as my anxiety rose, needing her so badly and being so close after so long; it was driving me insane.

"Oh, and Edward?" she said softly into the microphone.

"Yeah?" I replied, hoping she would allow me to open my eyes finally.

"I _really_ missed you this week," she whispered in the sexiest voice I'd ever heard, and slowly, the sound of her breathing began dissipating into the background. "Open your eyes, baby."

Once adjusting my vision back to the light of the room, my heart began pounding and my breathing accelerated at the unexpected view on my screen.

My Bella - my beautiful Bella - stood before me, her hair tousled perfectly, her eyes dark and shaded, leaning back against a long brass pole.

"Holy shit." I released a staggered breath as my gaze moved down her body and my hips involuntarily rolled forward in response. The delicate black lace of her bra and panty set barely covered the essential areas, so thin that I could almost see through to the skin beneath. And I couldn't be sure if that made my situation better or worse. The straps on her shoulders and hips appeared as if the slightest flick of my finger could easily snap them. In addition, black thigh highs sheathed her long slender legs, leading down to the high-heeled shoes, causing them to appear just that much longer. My erection throbbed at the sight and I ached even more to touch her.

"I have rules, Dr. Cullen," she began in a deep, sultry voice as she slowly circled the pole. "Even if this is a private showing, there is a level of decorum required. There is absolutely no touching of any kind, I'm entirely off limits. And if I notice you touching yourself inappropriately in any way without my consent, I will stop immediately. Understand?"

I groaned and nodded, unable to remove my gaze from the sensuous woman before me. This wasn't Bella; she was completely in character, and it was one of the most arousing things I'd ever seen.

"Good. However, I'm going to bend the rules a little because, well ... I _can_," she said with a mischievous smirk. "In _my_ favor, of course. Because you have _got_ to be, without a doubt, the most sinfully gorgeous man I have _ever_ laid eyes on. I want to see everything you've got, the effect I have on you."

My eyebrows rose in surprise and I attempted to suppress a chuckle as I lifted my shirt over my head and tossed it aside, giving her a half grin as I settled back in my chair. "A little unprofessional, isn't this?"

"Nice, but not entirely what I had in mind," she replied, shaking her head and stalking seductively toward the camera, leaning forward with her hands on the desk. "And fuck professionalism. I want to see that cock and if it's as beautiful as the rest of you."

Her throaty tone caused my stomach to knot and I swallowed hard at her words as I unfastened my jeans, lifting my hips off the chair.

She shook her head in response, waving her finger in front of her. "No, leave them on. Just take it out."

I groaned deeply and released my painfully hard erection from the confines of my boxer briefs, a shuddering breath escaping me at the slightest contact. All week I had been waiting for this moment, and she was prolonging it. Whether to start cursing or be grateful, I was still deciding.

"Just as I thought. Perfect," she sighed heavily, her tongue running slowly over her lower lip before dragging her teeth across it. Her eyes focused on the screen for a moment before the pulsing beat of music began playing in the background. "Maybe if you're good, I'll return the favor."

"Fuck, Bella," I moaned, my hands reaching behind my head to grip the back of my chair.

A single finger came to her lips as she backed away slowly again, shaking her head. "Shhhh."

Her hand rested gracefully on the pole, running her fingertips lightly down before pressing her body against it, and sliding down to the floor. Her gaze never seemed to leave mine as she slowly rose again, arching her back as she straightened and closing her eyes as her head fell back; the long brown waves of her hair cascading down her back. My breath accelerated, taking in the view of her soft breasts and her tight abdomen, more pronounced by her position.

_Fuck, I have the sexiest girlfriend in the world_, I thought as she began moving around the pole in a seductive dance, timed perfectly with the music. Then the beat intensified and she hoisted herself up on the brass column, wrapping her leg around it and slowly swiveled down it until her entire body draped along the floor.

"What would you like to see first, Dr. Cullen?" she asked, her fingers dancing over her breast and down over her skin to the thin straps of her panties.

"The top. Take the top off," I grunted softly, my hands lowering to the arms of my chair again, gripping them firmly.

A small smile appeared on her lips as her hand trailed back up to the delicate strings of her bra at a torturous pace, moving it aside along her shoulder. "You sure about that?"

"Yes. Fuck yes."

"Well, Doctor. You have quite a mouth on you," she chuckled teasingly, lowering the lacy fabric from one breast, exposing it to me. "I think I like it."

After lowering the other side as well, her back lifted off the floor and she reached underneath her to unclasp her bra. Her eyes returned to me as she dangled the garment from her fingertips and she smirked as she let it fall to the floor.

"Tell me what you want," she spoke sultrily, her head lulling to the side toward me.

My grip on the chair tightened, my fingers itching to reach through the screen and brush over her taut nipples. "Stand up and let me see you."

She sat up slowly, gracefully lifting herself from the floor until her entire body displayed in front of me. Her legs parted slightly and her hands rested on the front of her thighs, her thumbs tracing along the outer rim of her panties. There was no way I could handle seeing the rest of her just yet; not and hold myself together, as well.

"God, you're so fucking beautiful. Touch your breasts," I groaned, my breath catching as she complied, tracing slow circles around her nipples and sighing contentedly.

"Is this what you would do if you could?" she taunted as she lightly pinched them between her fingers, her soft moan resonating through my entire body.

My hips shifted again at the view on my screen and sounds echoing in my ears, my cock throbbing for release. "No, I would have them in my mouth."

Bella smiled, raising her hand to her lips and gliding her tongue over her fingertips, then returned them to her breast and began circling the skin again. "Your warm, wet mouth would be right here?"

"Shit," I hissed as my head rolled back, swallowing hard as my arousal inconceivably increased. It was quite possibly the sweetest torture I'd ever experienced with her. "Bella, please..."

"You know where mine would be?" she asked teasingly and I opened my eyes to look at her, watching her palm cover her breast. "Around that hard cock of yours, tasting every last inch of you."

_Oh my fucking god, I loved this woman._

"Bella, I'm begging you," I nearly whimpered, my chest rising and falling sharply with my heaving breaths.

"You want me, Dr. Cullen?" she asked, dragging a wooden chair across the floor and lowering herself onto it, spreading her legs wide. Her fingers ran lightly over the fabric of her panties while her other hand squeezed her breast.

"So much," I breathed out, moistening my dry lips with my tongue.

"Show me. Touch yourself," she said as she began massaging between her legs.

"I thought this was against the rules," I mumbled.

"No one needs to know. And I want to see those fingers wrapped around that long, hard cock," she replied in a commanding tone and I brought my hand to my erection, groaning as I squeezed it gently. "Now, slowly move your hand. I don't want you to come until I can feel you deep inside me."

My eyes shot open to gaze at her again to find her standing, slowly lowering her panties down her legs and lifting one foot at a time to step out of them. Her skin was completely bare, as she knew I liked it, and I slowly began gliding my hand along my entire length.

"You want me to fuck you ... Edward?" she whispered, using my name for the first time, her hooded eyes gazing at me wantonly.

"God, yes."

She sat back down on the chair, her hand traveling up her inner thigh until it rested between her legs and began teasing her clit. "Close your eyes and feel me taking you inside me."

I did as she instructed and brought my hand to the tip, slowly sliding it down my cock and envisioning her settling onto my lap. As I reached the base, she let out a loud moan.

"God, you feel so good. Now open them and watch me fuck you," she panted and I looked at her again, and nearly came at the sight. Her head thrown back and between her legs on the chair was the end of a dildo attached to the seat. Her eyes met mine as she rose and slowly lowered herself back onto it again.

"Fuck, what are you doing to me, Bella," I mumbled incoherently as my hand moved more rapidly over me as she began thrusting her body down onto it.

"Fucking you. Now, make me come," she growled, never ceasing her movements and I could see that she was just as desperate for release as I was. I watched as the firm muscles of her thighs flexed, her hands gripping her knees, but it was the rapturous look on her face that nearly had me coming undone right then and there. Her eyes had closed, her brow furrowed in concentration, and I knew she was focusing just as intently as I was to make it as real as possible.

"Ride me harder, baby," I commanded and her moans filled my ears as she moved her body more urgently. My own grunts joined hers as my orgasm quickly began to build. "Touch yourself, Bella. Come on my cock."

Her fingers moved briskly over her clit and her breasts were heaving dramatically, her teeth clenched. "I'm coming, Edward. Oh, fuck."

As her head flew back, my own release ripped through me so intensely that my throat tightened, muting any sound from escaping my body.

We sat for several moments, panting in the aftermath before she slowly rose and walked on trembling legs back to her desk, wrapping a long satin robe around her body. A satisfied smile graced her lips as she settled back into the chair, brushing her hair back from her face as she gazed at me. "How was that for role-playing?

"Fuck, baby. If that's what comes of you going shopping with Rose," I sighed heavily as my thought broke off, tossing my towel aside and adjusting my pants. Sinking deeper into my chair, I felt the adrenaline slowly draining from my body and exhaustion beginning to seep in again. "Where did you learn to do that, and _damn,_ you're flexible."

"You should know," she smiled wickedly with a wink, but her eyes were noticeably growing heavy. "I danced as a kid, and took yoga with Alice a while back. And as for where? I'm just observant. Movies and television are excellent guides."

"And the accessory?" I asked with a quirked eyebrow, but unable to mask my chuckle as I took a sip of my beer.

"Lots of women have them, Edward. It helps take the edge off not having a man around," she replied, swiveling her chair slowly back and forth.

"Ah, so that's my competition?" I teased playfully, shaking my head.

"There _is_ no competition," she sighed longingly. "Nothing compares to the real thing, you know that. I'd _much_ rather have _you_."

"I know, baby. Not too much longer," I replied as her tone saddened slightly and her smile fell from her face. "How much?"

She groaned and rolled her eyes as my grin returned slightly. "Six weeks, five days, fifteen hours."

I laughed softly at the adorable pout on her lips as I drained the bottle, setting it back on the desk as my attention returned fully to her. She'd been counting down this way since she'd received her itinerary for her flight to Chicago in March. And unbeknownst to her, so had I.

_March 20th, 2:04 pm, O'Hare International_ _Airport. _Details that hadn't left my mind once in over a week, mentally ticking off the minutes until I would have her in my arms again. To feel her and inhale her scent as it surrounded me. To be able to tell _and_ show her exactly how much I loved and needed her. To make love to her again, and take one more step toward integrating her into my life completely.

She was going to meet Emmett ... and my parents.

"What, no minutes and seconds?" I shot back with a chuckle, bringing my focus back to the present and she narrowed her eyes in a glare at me. "Alright, baby. I think we could both use some sleep. I'll catch you in the morning before you leave for work."

"Get some sleep. I swear if I see your name on my caller id in the morning, I'm cutting you off for another week. I can talk to you after work, when you're well rested," she replied firmly, scolding me as she often did when I attempted to deny myself the basic necessities of eating or sleeping for a few extra minutes with her. "I love you."

I smiled at the sentiment that still seemed so new to me, filling me with the same warmth it had weeks ago when she'd first uttered it to me. "I love you, too, Bella. Goodnight."


	16. Change in Plans

**A/n: Firstly, I would like to say thank you to Lindsi loolabell for the sparking the inspiration I needed to finish my chapter with the beautiful banner she made for me. It made the last 3000 words of this chapter possible for me to write. So thank you, bb. **

**As I've said on Twitter and on the thread, and even in response to the lovely PMs I've been receiving lately, I truly appreciate the patience you all have shown me over the past several months in regard to my updates. Life can get pretty hectic at times and this year has just been unrelenting, so thank you for your understanding and support of this story.**

**Finally, thank you to my pre-readers once again, for being bluntly honest with me, even if it means telling me something I don't want to hear. You all couldn't be more appreciated.**

**Late Night Encounters 15 ~ Change in Plans**

**EPOV**

Driving up to the hospital, I spotted Emmett standing beside his car and pulled in beside it. He gave me a tired smile and took the few steps toward the passenger side of mine, lowering himself into the seat.

"Sorry about this, Doc. Son of a bitch wouldn't start for anything this morning," he mumbled in frustration, glaring at his own vehicle as I backed out.

"Don't worry about it. I wanted to come in early this morning anyway," I replied encouragingly and pulled out onto the nearly deserted main road.

"Not _this_ early to pick up my sorry ass though, I'm sure," he chuckled.

I laughed in response. "I don't mind, really. I was just going to see if I could squeeze in a few vacation days in a couple of weeks."

"Oh yeah," he smirked, his demeanor suddenly lightening as he glanced at me mischievously. "Two more weeks until Miss Bella arrives."

I rolled my eyes at his teasing tone, but still couldn't keep the smile from my face at the sound of her name. Along with the ache in my body at the memory of the night before. "Yes, and I'd like to take her up to Evanston for a few days."

His eyes widened and he turned slightly in his seat to face me. "You're already taking her to meet your parents?"

"And the problem with that would be?" I asked him challengingly with a raised eyebrow while keeping my focus on the road ahead of me.

"You're _really_ serious about this girl, aren't you?" he continued in an amazed tone.

"Why do you sound so surprised by this?" I sighed heavily, leaning back against the headrest. I'd thought that I made it abundantly clear with my words and actions over the last several weeks. "I love her, Emmett. You're _really_ asking me this? Besides, it's a far sight better than leaving her alone in my apartment or at the hotel with her friend all week while I'm at work."

"You still haven't told me about this friend of hers," he hinted, nudging my arm lightly.

"Nor do I intend to," I replied simply without so much as a sideways glance.

"Come on, at least tell me if she's hot, too," Emmett groaned, his head falling back in frustration.

"Watch it," I said in a warning tone, looking over to him as I parked in front of his complex. "And I wouldn't know, I haven't seen her. But I'm begging you, _please,_ don't hit on her."

"Now why would you think I'd do something like that?" Emmett gasped, his hand roughly striking his chest in feigned hurt.

"Because I know you, Em. And the one thing I _do_ know about Rose is that she's blonde," I replied, eyeing him meaningfully.

"Oh fuck me, hit me where it hurts and kick me while I'm down, why don't you," Emmett groaned, reaching for the handle.

"I'm serious, Emmett," I said firmly as he stepped out of the car.

"I swear, scout's honor," he smiled, holding his left hand up beside his head.

"First of all, you were _never_ a boy scout, and also, it's the right hand," I teased, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"Not gonna ask how _you_ know that," he teased, grabbing his bag quickly off the floor and backing away as I glared at him. "Thanks again for the ride. I owe you one, man."

"No problem, give me a call if you need a ride in tonight," I called out after him as he began walking toward his building, giving a small wave as he reached the door.

On the drive back, I refocused my mind to the task at hand— figuring out my schedule to make the most of my time with Bella. The wait had become more excruciating with each passing day. On more than one occasion, I had considered taking Emmett's suggestion and booking the next flight to LAX. Yet, I also knew that it wouldn't help and might even serve to make me miss her more, if such a thing were possible. To fly out for a day or two over the weekend, only to come right back home all too soon, would be torture. Letting her go in New York had been difficult as hell, and I knew watching her leave after the coming visit would be equally hard, if not worse. I wasn't sure how many times I would be able to be in that position and pull myself out of it as well.

We'd made it this far, and now we only had two more weeks to endure. I could wait that long, especially if we continued to have nights like the previous one to tide us both over.

Settling into my chair upon my arrival, I flipped on my screen and her beautiful face stared back at me, my smile returning at the sight. I instantly opened my email, sending a request to my supervisor for my accumulated vacation time and the schedule for that week.

Twenty minutes later, there was a knock at my open office door and he stepped inside. "Edward, do you have a moment?"

"Of course, Dr. Molina," I nodded, standing as he entered and gesturing to the chair on the other side.

"I received your request, and if I may ask, why?" he asked as he sat across from me, and I lowered back into my chair slowly in confusion. "I know that you rarely request time off, and I'm hoping you don't have plans for that week."

"Actually, sir. In fact, I do. My girlfriend is flying in from LA that week and we've been planning this for months," I replied, attempting to remain calm as my heart began pounding in my chest.

"I'm sorry, Edward. But I'm afraid I need you in Las Vegas on the eighteenth, for the Medical Business Solutions convention," he stated apologetically.

My breath froze in my throat and my eyes widened, unable to believe that this was happening. These conferences could last anywhere from three days to a week, and either way, I wouldn't be back in time to meet Bella at the airport. After collecting myself for a moment, I cleared my throat before responding. "With all due respect, sir. Is there no one else who could attend in my place? I'm an ER physician, not on the business end. Surely, there's someone more qualified..."

"Edward, I need someone I can trust to represent the hospital. And no one is more qualified than you are, in my opinion. You're the youngest chief resident we've ever had here, and why do you think that is?" he asked, leaning forward and folding his hands in front of him on the desk. I sighed heavily and leaned back in my chair, shaking my head. "It wasn't just the work you've done with those hands of yours. People respect and listen to you, along with possessing one of the brightest minds I've come across in my entire career. I'm counting on you for this."

"Her plane lands on the twentieth," I groaned weakly, rubbing my hands over my face roughly before driving them into my hair.

"It's only for five days, and I'll more than gladly grant your request for the time off the following week," he continued and I lowered my hands to my lap, meeting his gaze with mine and resigning myself to the fact that there was no way around it. Taking a deep breath, I nodded to him silently. "Thank you, Edward. My apologies to you both."

The moment he closed the door behind him, I tossed the pen in my hand roughly across the desk, cursing under my breath. While I knew that an entire conference couldn't be altered to accommodate my love life, I was also aware of how devastating this would be for Bella, as I was already feeling it myself. I couldn't imagine even a few more days of being away from her than we'd already been, and that trip to LA was seeming more and more appealing all the time. I wanted her in my arms, her body and lips against mine _now_, not having to wait the extra time.

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I released a defeated sigh as I texted her, attempting to word it so as to not alarm her too much.

_Baby, call me when you wake up. I need to talk to you. Love you. xo _

**BPOV**

The buzz of my phone stirred me from a sound sleep, yanking me abruptly from my dream. The night before with Edward, while surprising, had left me more satiated than I'd been in weeks, and incited incredible images in my slumber as a result.

Each night of our agonizing separation, we'd been experimenting in more inventive ways to ease our physical longing for each other. I'd had no idea what to expect from him the night of my shopping spree with Rose, despite the origins of our relationship. I knew the lingerie would be well received, as I'd tested the waters with that before. However, Rose's suggestion of the stripper pole and the sex toy had even caused _my_ eyes to bug slightly, unsure of how receptive Edward would be to _that_ level of brazenness.

To my extreme relief, Rose had been right—in her own blunt words, 'if he's straight and has a penis, he'll like it'— and I'd never seen or heard him so aroused since our time together over New Years, and had opened many more doors of possibility for us.

And of course, heightened our mutual appreciation of Rose.

However, he'd even taken _me_ by surprise and shipped me a 'care package' which had arrived the day before, with strict instructions not to open it until he got home. While the wait was painstaking, shock at the contents quickly replaced it. An internet operated vibrator, which allowed him to control every aspect. The accompanying orgasm had been mind-blowingly phenomenal.

Rolling onto my side with a smile still in place, I stretched my arm lazily for my phone, glancing at the most recent message.

My smile quickly faded at his words, something in the tone of his text not settling well with me. Why would he ask me to call and not text? What could be so important at 6:30 in the morning?

"Hey baby," his tired sounding voice came through when he answered and my worry heightened. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

"It's my fault for not remembering to silence my phone last night. I was a bit exhausted after we talked," I replied, trying to allow the memory of the night before to lighten my tone. "So what's up?"

His heavy sigh was not encouraging and I swallowed hard in nervous trepidation, until he uttered the four dreaded words. "Bella, something's come up."

"Oh no," I breathed out sharply, my hands beginning to shake.

"Yeah," he said softly and I felt my heart drop. For once, he didn't dispute my fear-filled tone and I sat up slowly in the bed. "I'm not going to be in Chicago on the twentieth."

"Wh-what?" I gasped in shock, my hand coming to my throat. "Edward, we... we've been planning this for months. Rose and I already have our tickets. How can you not be there?"

"I know, baby. Believe me, I know," he groaned and released another sigh. "My boss came to my office this morning and I'm needed at a conference in Las Vegas until the following Monday."

"Las Vegas?" I exclaimed, swinging my legs out of the bed and standing up. "Can't you tell him that you already have plans that week?"

"I did, Bella. But I can't get out of this." His voice was strained and I could hear the tension lying beneath. "I still want to see you. We'll just have to change your flight."

"And just lose half our week together?" I replied, waving my arm out in frustration, feeling the tears burning in my eyes.

"I don't like it any more than you do. But it's either that or..."

"Cancel the trip altogether," I mumbled sadly, my eyes falling to the carpet.

"Actually, what I was _going_ to say," he replied with a small chuckle and I felt my forehead tighten in confusion. "How would you like to meet me in Vegas?"

My eyes widened in surprise at his statement and I was rendered momentarily speechless.

"I thought about just flying out there for a weekend before, but it still wouldn't make up for much. And I figured we could at least have the evenings together, and then we could all fly back to Chicago from there."

"You really want me to come to Las Vegas with you?" I asked softly in disbelief, gripping my phone to my ear.

"I don't want to spend a single moment more away from you than I absolutely have to, Bella," he whispered back, a subtle anguish present in his voice. "I've missed you so damn much."

"I've missed you, too," I replied, a smile tugging at my lips. "Tell me where to meet you."

**x-x-x**

Convincing Rose to change our plans was done with two simple words—Las Vegas.

Aside from the obvious appeal that Vegas held, her eyes lit up with the prospect of shopping for the four days we'd be spending there. And following that trip, my suitcase barely closed, even with my full weight seated on it.

Instead of rerouting our flight, we'd opted to skip out on class that Friday and drive there, scheduling one with Edward to Chicago on Tuesday morning.

I stood in my bathroom the night before we were scheduled to leave, collecting my toiletries for the trip when my phone began ringing in the next room. In my rush, my foot caught on the runner rug in the hall and my knee slammed into the wall in front of me.

"Shit, that's gonna leave a mark," I snapped sarcastically and pushed off the wall, hurrying into my room when the ringing stopped. I groaned, falling onto my bed and reaching for my phone, selecting the missed call.

_Edward_.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I was in the other room and my 'graceful' self tripped in the hallway," I said hurriedly when he answered.

"Ah, thought you might be avoiding me," he chuckled and then let out a heavy breath. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just gonna have one hell of a bruise on my knee. That's sexy, huh?" I replied, rolling my eyes and shaking my head. I turned over and stared up at the ceiling, feeling the muscles in my back releasing after the hectic packing I'd been doing all evening. "But why in the world would I be avoiding you?"

"I don't know. Cold feet? Sneaking off to the beach for Spring Break instead?" he said jokingly.

"If I didn't get cold feet before New York, I'm pretty sure you've got nothing to worry about now that I actually _know_ what I'm missing," I murmured in a soft tone. "And as tempting as a week on the beach sounds, in a bikini I wouldn't be caught dead in and my lily white skin blinding everyone in sight, I think I'll pass. There's no Edward Cullen there, so that squashes _any_ appeal of that little scenario."

"God, I miss you so much right now," he sighed, his voice losing all hint of amusement.

"You sound so tired, baby," I said softly, wishing now more than ever that I were already there beside him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just hate these damn conferences," he replied, frustration evident in his voice. "I can't wait for you to get here."

"Soon. I'll be there soon. And then the _last_ thing you'll be thinking about is that conference," I teased, lowering my tone. "You'll be _way_ too busy concentrating on the borderline illegal things I plan on doing to that body of yours."

"Oh really? Care to elaborate?" he asked, a lightness returning to his demeanor, causing me to smile in relief.

"That would just take _all _the fun out of it. Though you _are_ free to use your imagination all you like," I teased with a soft giggle.

"Oh, you are such a little minx," he reprimanded me jokingly, releasing a soft laugh. "So, what time are you getting in tomorrow?"

I laughed, rolling onto my side. "Hopefully around two or three, traffic permitting, but I'll be there waiting for you when you get back to the room."

"Okay, I'll have Emmett meet you out front around then. And if I can manage to slip away from the conference sooner than five, I will," he replied.

"I still can't believe that Emmett is coming with you," I chuckled nervously, shaking my head.

"He's anxious to meet you, but don't worry. I've told him to be on his best behavior, vacation or not. It was part of the agreement," he said with slight tension in his voice.

"I'm not worried, Edward. And Rose can hold her own and plans to spend most of her time at the slots anyway," I smiled, hearing his stifled yawn through the phone. "Baby, you should get some sleep."

"No, I'm fine," he replied stubbornly, his voice strained as if he were stretching. "I'd rather talk to you."

"Edward," I said firmly as I sat up on the bed, bending my leg up to my chest. "You need your sleep. You might not be getting much tomorrow night."

"Only might?" he laughed.

"Okay, you definitely won't, and you'll need all your reserves," I chuckled in response.

"Well, when you put it _that_ way," he trailed off and I heard the click of the light switch. "Good night, Bella. I love you."

"Love you, too. Good night, Edward."

**x-x-x**

"Isabella Marie Swan, if you aren't out here in exactly five seconds, I am leaving without you," Rose's voice echoed through my apartment as I lifted my suitcase off the bed.

"Alright, I'm coming. Don't get your panties in a bunch," I groaned as I walked into the living room.

"Panty bunching is going to be _your_ territory this week. Now, let's go. I've already checked the oven and the coffee pot, and everything is off. You are good to go," she replied, taking my suitcase from my hand. "You're not forgetting anything important, right?"

"No, Rose. Everything is packed and ready," I retorted, narrowing my gaze at her slightly. "Even though there is _no_ way I'm ever going to use it all."

"Options, Bella. You _always_ need options for _every_ possible mood," she replied with a wink.

I rolled my eyes, yet couldn't help but laugh at her tone. "Okay, now you promised not to grill him, remember?"

"I made no such 'promise'," she smirked teasingly as we walked to the car. "I only said I would take it easy on him. No man gets completely excused from my test when it comes to my best friend."

"Please, Rose. He's _really_ important to me," I pleaded emphatically.

"All the more reason," she replied with a shrug, closing my door behind me and hurrying around the car to get in herself. Meeting my eyes as she started the car, she shook her head and sighed. "Only a little, Bella. I promise. Though I must say, I'm pretty anxious to meet this phenomenon that is Dr. Edward Cullen."

Another smile crept across my lips as she dramatically drew out his name, but then my eyes fell to my lap.

She gazed at me briefly and then took a deep breath. "Have you heard from Alice, yet?"

"Nope. I've left her messages, but still nothing," I sighed heavily and shook my head. Since Alice had begun dating Jasper, we'd been hearing less and less from her until she finally even stopped coming to classes. To say I was a bit concerned was understating the facts, but I also hadn't been able to tell one of my best friends about Edward. Though it _had_ served to bring Rose and I closer.

Reaching over to my lap, she took my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Alice will come around. You know how she gets sometimes. She lets herself get all wrapped up in these new relationships, and it's all she thinks about."

"It's been months, Rose," I replied sadly, still not raising my eyes.

"Do _not_ let this ruin your time with your man. Just focus on him and we'll deal with Alice when we get back, alright?" she stated firmly, securing her hold on my hand and I nodded silently.

I knew she was right and I leaned back in my seat, focusing solely on the fact that within hours, I would be back in his arms. The one place I'd longed to be since the moment I left them in January.

As we crossed the border into Nevada, my stomach began fluttering even more in anticipation. I was officially in the same state as Edward was, finally. And when the first signs of Las Vegas appeared in front of me, my leg began bouncing excitedly.

I gasped in surprise when Rose's hand rested on my knee, halting the movement. "You're shaking the whole car, Bella. Calm down. Mirage, right?"

I nodded and my eyes followed her hand as it pointed in front of us. The sight of the immense hotel with its beautiful fountains in front took my breath away. "Oh my god, we're here."

"Yeah, _someone's_ been in a daze for the last few hours," she replied, chuckling softly under her breath. "Guess I was right to insist on driving, huh?"

"Sorry," I mumbled apologetically as we parked in front of the hotel. "Just really anxious to see him."

"So I've noticed," she winked as she stepped out of the car while the attendant saw to our bags.

Having never been to Las Vegas before, the beauty of it overcame me. The structure of the building was remarkable, and I tilted my head from side to side as I observed it, until Rose took my arm.

"You are on Spring Break, need I remind you? No measurements or specs on anything but that glorious boyfriend of yours, got it? The architect stayed home this week," she scolded as she guided me inside.

"Bella?" I heard a deep voice beside me, startling me from the admiration of my surroundings as we stepped through the doors. Standing before me was a tower of a man, completely intimidating if not for the boyish smile on his face. "You _are_ Bella Swan, right?"

"Oh, yeah," I chuckled in embarrassment. "I'm guessing you're Emmett?"

"The one and only," he replied, his smile broadening and engulfing me in a hug. "Nice to finally meet you. And this lovely lady must be Rose."

His eyes fell on my friend beside me as he pulled away, and she nodded. "Actually, it's Rosalie. Rosalie Hale."

His eyebrows rose along with mine as I gazed at her in disbelief. She _hated_ to be called Rosalie, and her stiff posture displayed an evident discomfort that I'd never seen on her. "Rose..."

"It's nice to meet you, Rosalie," he said, shaking his head at me and extending his hand to her, which she curtly shook. Turning to the attendant, he handed him the keycard. "Tower suite on the twenty-seventh. I'll let you ladies settle in."

With that, he walked away and I turned to Rose, gaping at her. "What the hell was _that_ all about?"

"I didn't come to Vegas to be hit on," she retorted and began following our bags toward the elevator.

"Rose, he was just being nice," I hissed under my breath as I caught up to her.

"Please," she scoffed sarcastically, rolling her eyes and folding her arms over her chest as we stepped inside. "Do _not _be deceived by those dazzling baby blues or the school boy charm, or that sweet little smile. That man is hornier than a college frat boy. Obviously flirting, and I couldn't be less interested."

"Yet, you noticed the color of his eyes," I mumbled under my breath.

"Kinda hard _not_ to with the way he was _staring_," she huffed and remained silent for the rest of the ride up to our floor. Until we stepped into our room and our eyes widened at the sheer grandeur of it. "Holy shit."

I wasn't sure what I'd been expecting, possibly something more akin to the smaller, more intimate setting of our room in New York—but what was displayed before me certainly wasn't it. A large living area made up the center of the room, with doorways on either side leading to the bedrooms. Walking into the one on the right, I smiled as the unmistakable scent of Edward surrounded me and I sat on the edge of the bed. My eyes landed on bedside table were a small frame sat upon it, and I took it into my hand and laughed softly.

It was the picture of us in New York, and as I'd done so many times before, I ran my finger lightly over the image of his face.

"Okay, there has _got_ to be a mistake here," Rose's voice snapped and I looked up abruptly to find her storming across the suite toward my doorway. "There is only _one_ bed in that room!"

I stood and followed her back to the second bedroom, covering my mouth with my hand. "Rose, it's only for a few days."

"Oh, no. You really don't think I'm going to be sharing a room _and_ a bed with that behemoth, do you?" she replied sharply, shaking her head. "_Someone_ is going to be sleeping on that couch out there, and it sure as hell isn't going to be _me_."

I sighed as I watched her storm across the room, mumbling under her breath as she began to unpack. Knowing it was best to leave her alone at times like that, I retreated back to my own room to do the same.

The two hours after Rose left to go to the casino seemed the drag on, as I sat impatiently waiting for Edward. I lay down on the bed and inhaled the scent of his pillow, closing my eyes and picturing his face in my mind. Even with the aid of his picture that I'd comforted myself with during the long weeks of our separation, I knew that seeing him again face to face would be so much different. And I had changed as well. I'd gained a few pounds and even cut several inches off my hair, though it still fell well beyond my shoulders, and I hoped he liked what he saw.

"Bella?" My eyes shot open as I heard his anxious voice carry through the suite, springing off the bed and racing out of the room. His smile stretched across his face as he spotted me, while my breath caught in my throat at the sight of him. His suit jacket was draped over his arm and his tie was loosened, the first few buttons of his shirt undone. He'd never looked sexier. "Get over here."

I shrieked slightly at his relieved sigh, surprising even myself as I ran to him and he tossed his jacket aside, catching me in his arms and hugging me fiercely against him. He pulled away slightly to look at me, smiling before capturing my lips with his and I moaned softly against them.

Sweeping me into his arms, he carried me into the bedroom and kicked the door closed, laying us down on the mattress and brushing his lips gently against mine once more. "I never realized _exactly_ how much I've missed you until just now."

"Me either," I murmured against his lips, my fingers tracing the contours of his face, relishing in his presence. "No dinner reservations this time?"

He lifted his head to look down at me, grinning as he shook his head. "Room service. Later."

"Mmm, I like the way you think, Dr. Cullen," I smirked before claiming his lips with mine again, tugging his tie free and tossing it to the floor.

The room around us filled with the heavy pants of our breathing and the soft whimpers of our moans, as inch by inch, we discarded our clothes until he began kissing down my body. His lips felt like heaven against my skin as his fingers lowered the last remaining garment between us down my legs, stopping at my right knee. His eyes met mine as he brushed a soft kiss against the bruised skin there before bending it slightly to remove my panties from my ankle.

Sliding his body along mine to bring our faces level again, he reclaimed my lips heatedly and I embraced him tightly around his shoulders. His hardened length glided along my slickened skin as my hips lifted from the bed and we both moaned into the kiss, one of his arms slipping beneath me.

"Bella... I need... I can't," he panted heavily against my lips, his hand running along my thigh.

"I don't want you to," I replied breathily as my body arched against him. "Please just take me, Edward."

Slowly, he pressed inside me and I whimpered against his lips while my fingers gripped his shoulders. His hands moved to rest on my hips as his thrusts began and my eyes closed, my lashes fluttering with the sensations coursing through my body. My breath caught in my throat; it felt so surreal to be with him again like this—almost _too_ good to be anything but a dream. Yet when I opened my eyes, he was still there.

His movements increased in urgency and I finally released the breath I'd been holding in a sharp, abrupt sigh, and then clenched my teeth tightly as my orgasm began to taunt me.

"Please... it's been too long since... oh fuck," I heaved, my eyes burning with tears from the heat coiling in my stomach, feeling as if my body were about to burst.

With a final, deep thrust, a groan resonated from my chest as his release actually sparked mine and our lips met passionately.

As our bodies began to calm, our kiss slowed and deepened, our hands gently caressing each other's skin. Looking into my eyes, he brushed my slightly dampened hair from my face and a smile returned to his lips.

"I love you," he whispered and tears welled in my eyes again, bringing my hand to rest on his cheek. Pressing my lips softly to his, I sighed against them from the feel of his breath ghosting over my skin for the first time as he spoke those words.

"I love you, too."


	17. Surprise!

**Late Night Encounters 16** **~ Surprise!**

As we lay entwined with my chest pressed against Bella's back, my fingers traced along her hip. Her head leaned back on my shoulder as she hugged my arm around her, my lips brushing lightly along the skin of her neck. We hadn't spoken a word since I'd covered our bodies over with the blankets, unwilling to relinquish the euphoric finally feeling of her against me. Yet, neither one of us seemed overly anxious to break the silence, either. We'd already said everything that mattered in that space and time.

Suddenly, I felt her body shift in my embrace and my eyes lowered to her face, smiling at the hint of a smirk I found there. "What?"

"Nothing," she replied softly but her smile grew, taking my face in her hands and brushing her lips lightly against mine. "Just absorbing the fact that you're actually here, and I'm not dreaming this time."

"So, you dream about me?" I teased against her lips, gently tugging her closer.

"Quite often, actually," she smirked, sliding her arms around my shoulders and tilting her head back invitingly. I gently captured her lips and a soft, contented moan emanated from her as she draped her leg around mine, pressing her body against me. "But I must say, _this_ is infinitely better."

"Well, I would certainly _hope_ so," I laughed softly, kissing her again firmly and my hand hitching her leg higher. Her fingers grasped my hair with a whimper, her hips rolling against mine and causing me to groan in return.

The door of the suite slammed just as I was about to enter her again, and her head fell back as she heard our friends enter outside.

"You know, a simple 'thank you' wouldn't kill you," Emmett's voice carried through the suite in an aggravated tone I'd never heard before.

"I would have been fine. I could have just called Bella, and she would have opened the door for me," Rose snapped back and Bella's eyes met mine, kissing me gently with a sigh and rolling away.

"What the hell is _that_ all about?" I asked, nodding toward the door as we pulled our clothes back on.

"Your guess is as good as mine. I'm _still_ trying to figure it out," she replied as she fastened her jeans.

Walking over to her, I pulled her back into my arms and held her against me, not ready to leave our bubble yet. "Just one more minute."

She chuckled against my lips, gripping my arms with her hands as she responded and nipping lightly at my lip. "Don't worry, you're not the one she'd like to castrate. And even if you were, I'd protect you."

Her voice took on a playful tone as her fingers trailed down my chest to my waist, tugging gently at the belt loops before pulling away again, reaching the door ahead of me.

Both Rose and Emmett turned to face us as it opened, and I felt Bella's arm slide around my waist as my eyes met those of her friend.

Her eyes ran over me and her arms folded over her chest, her lips pursed in speculation. "So this is the genius who put me in the same room as the buffoon?"

"Oh. pipe down, princess. I had every intention of sleeping on the couch," Emmett retorted sharply, surprising me again with his abruptness.

Rose stiffened slightly as her glare met Emmett's, and I briefly looked to Bella, who merely shrugged. "Well then, we won't have any problems avoiding contact then, will we?" Rose replied in an overly sweet tone and then turned her attention back to me, moving forward and holding out her hand. "Hi, I'm Rose. And judging from the disheveled state of semi-undress, you must be Edward."

Bella sighed heavily, pulling the front of my shirt closed as her cheeks flushed, burying her face in my chest. "You must excuse Rose. She has absolutely _no_ filter."

As I gently kissed her hair, I reached out to take Rose's extended hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"You weren't kidding," she whispered as she leaned toward Bella's ear and then smiled as she brought her gaze back to me. "Don't worry, your taste in friends doesn't count as a strike against you."

"Guess opposites really _do_ attract, even in acquaintances," Emmett shot back and then looked back to me. "I'm taking off for a bit. Good luck with the ice queen, man. Good night, Bella."

Rose's eyes narrowed on him as he began to walk away before storming away herself, both doors slamming simultaneously.

"Wow," Bella mouthed, lifting her eyes to mine. "So, yeah, that was Rose."

"Well, that went over well," I replied sarcastically with a slight chuckle. "I've never seen Emmett have _that_ kind of effect on anyone, or vice versa."

"She _does_ have a talent for bringing the 'best' out in people," she groaned, resting her forehead against my chest and sliding her arms around me beneath my shirt. I pressed my lips against her hair, running my hands gently over her back until her head lifted back up to look at me. "On the upside, she could be stewing for _hours_."

"I heard that, Isabella!" Rose yelled out from her room as Bella's lips enticingly met mine, causing us both to chuckle.

**x-x-x**

Seated at the restaurant the next evening, we silently glanced between our friends as they sat across from us. Rose had her chair shifted slightly away from Emmett, her lips pressed in a hard line and gazing up at the chandelier as she took a sip of her wine. Meanwhile, tension etched through his jaw and shoulders, gripping the beer in front of him so tightly, I was sure it would smash between his massive hands.

"So," Rose began suddenly, breaking the silence and bringing her gaze to me, causing a sudden rise in my anxiety. "Bella tells me that you're a doctor?"

I briefly glanced over to Bella and felt her hand rest gently on my knee. Laying mine on top of it, my fingers slid between hers as I took a deep breath, drawing strength from her as the long awaited questioning began. "Yes, that's correct."

"And a fairly prominent position at that, for such a young man?" she continued, folding her arms over her chest and raising a singular brow at me.

Bella cleared her throat and her fingers tensed between mine, shaking her head silently at Rose.

"What? It's an honest question," she stated non-chalantly, shrugging at Bella and then looking back to me.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that," I replied nervously, my brow pulling together in confusion.

"So why this?" she asked pointedly, gesturing between me and Bella. "You're young, good looking, have an excellent, stable job. I doubt there's a shortage of women in Chicago. Why Bella? Why this _online_ thing?"

Letting out a heavy breath, I ran my hand through my hair nervously while Bella's remained on my knee. My mind ran over and over what I should say, as one wrong thing could lead to disaster. If I told her the truth – that I'd never intended on forming any kind of relationship with Bella – it would immediately rouse suspicion. Who goes to an online dating site, as both of us had claimed, without an intention to date?

"I really don't mean to sound like a hardass, but this _is_ my best friend we're talking about. And I don't want to see her get her heart broken," she said, leaning forward on the table.

Bella's fingers tightened on my leg and her eyes fell to the table, reaching for her water glass and taking a long sip. Sliding my hand along her arm, I released her grip on my thigh and took hers into it, giving it a gentle squeeze. I watched a trace of a nervous smile appear on her lips, while still keeping her gaze down, before looking back to Rose.

"Bella is everything that every other woman I've met is _not_. Even women twice her age," I replied with a slight shake of my head. "I feel more comfortable and happy with her than I have with anyone else in years. The last thing I ever want to see is her heartbroken, let alone be the cause."

"The distance thing isn't a problem for you?" she continued her questioning, tilting her head in speculation.

"I wouldn't say it isn't a 'problem'. I certainly wish it were otherwise, but it's just not possible for either of us right now," I replied, feeling my throat begin to tighten and my palms begin to sweat with her intense gaze on me.

"But how long can this be enough?" Rose asked pointedly. "Before something more substantial will be needed? What about when she graduates in June? Do you expect her to come to you, or would you really be willing to give up everything you've worked for to come to her?"

"I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself, Rose," Bella interjected with an uncomfortable laugh, her face flushing more extensively. "We're not rushing into anything like that, and it's still months off."

"Think you should back off a little, Cujo," Emmett piped in in a low voice, leaning forward and reaching for his beer, his eyes remaining off to the side. "He fucking likes her. Why is that so hard to understand?"

"And why are _you_ so flippant about it?" Rose retorted as he turned to glare at her. "I'm just concerned for my friend."

"So am I," he replied sharply, causing my eyes to widen at his tone and the forceful way he threw his napkin to the table. "In all the time I've known this man, I have _never_ seen him like this. And if this woman is what keeps him smiling and happy, I'm all fucking for it. Just because you're petty and jealous because she has something you don't, doesn't give you the right to interrogate him like a criminal. He loves her, she loves him, and regardless of distance or how they met, they are both consenting _adults_. Let that be enough."

Bella jumped slightly beside me when he pushed roughly away from the table and stormed away, and I reached to take her hand again. However, my gaze was transfixed on Rose, baffled by the sudden shift in her demeanor. Despite the tightness of her jaw and the stiffness of her posture, the hint of tears began welling in her eyes that she insistently attempted to blink away.

"I..." she started, her voice cracking slightly as she took a deep, composing breath, before her napkin met the table as well and she grabbed her purse. "Excuse me."

Her hasty departure from the table left us both behind in a daze, stunned by what had transpired within the last few minutes. The venom lacing Emmett's voice, even with the sentiment behind it, was something that honestly unnerved me.

Handling my carefree, obnoxious friend was easy and routine after all these years, whereas I had no idea how to deal with this new side of him.

"I think separate rooms might be in order," Bella stated in an astounded voice, releasing a long held breath.

"Somehow, I don't even know if _that_ would be enough," I replied, shaking my head distractedly until I felt the backs of her fingers gently brush against the side of my neck. Turning my head to look at her, I slowly began to feel the ease settle over me as I gazed into her eyes. I leaned forward to kiss her gently and her hand cupped my jaw, holding me against her for a moment before we parted. My arm slid around her waist and I smiled as I pulled her closer. "I've got an idea. I have dessert waiting for us up in our room. So, how about we let Rose and Emmett fight their own battle, and just focus on you and me?"

Her beautiful smile lit her eyes and she nodded, pressing her lips to mine in a brief kiss. "That's the best thing I've heard all night. You're right, they can sort it out themselves, or else just stick it out for a couple more days. I don't want to waste a single minute that I have with you."

I motioned to the server, requesting the check and retrieving my card from my wallet, eager to have Bella alone again. And from the constant feel of her touch, it seemed that the feeling was completely mutual.

**x-x-x**

Brief, stolen kisses and adoring, yet suggestive glances filled the walk to the room. Even with the experience of New York behind us, it still amazed me how easy it all was for us, how natural. How simply we fell into step with each other from the moment we said hello.

Her body tensed slightly as we reached the door and I brought my fingers to her chin to turn her face to me, gently brushing my lips on hers. "You and me, baby. That's it."

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and hugged herself against my side as I unlocked the door, stepping inside to find the main room empty with no sign of Emmett and Rose's door shut. I led her through the suite, stopping only for a moment at the mini fridge for the container I'd placed in there while she was in the shower before dinner, and closed the doors behind me as she sat on the end of the bed.

"When you said dessert, I must admit, I did _not _think you were referring to actual food," she teased with a mock pout, slipping off her heels and tossing them onto the floor. Sliding herself up the bed, her mischievous smirk reappeared on her lips as she laid her head back on the pillows. "It's a shame. Since you liked this so much in New York."

Her deep purple dress rode up her thigh as she bent her knee while eyeing me intently as I set the container on the mattress, crawling onto the bed to lie beside her. My lips met hers gently as my hand rested on her thigh, groaning softly when her fingers encircled my wrist and guided mine to settle between her legs. Her smirk grew against me as my fingers ran along her bare skin, nipping playfully on my lower lip.

"You play dirty," I mumbled against her lips, causing her to giggle and pull me closer. "With Rose and Emmett there?"

"I could have played _much_ dirtier and clued you in _before_ dinner," she replied as her foot glided along my calf that now rested between her legs. "But how could I resist? I don't think I've ever seen you sexier than that first night in New York, like you were going to devour me."

With a muffled moan, I kissed her firmly as I felt her arms slide around my shoulders and pull me closer. my hand traveling back down her thigh. I gave a gentle squeeze before parting my lips from hers, pressing my fingertips against them instead. "Don't rush, baby."

Her soft whimper caused me to smile as I lifted myself from her, reaching for the container beside me and setting it between us on the bed. She sighed and sat up in front of me, folding her legs in front of her. "This has got to be one hell of a dessert. At least, I'm hoping so."

"Every time I come to Vegas, I come to this hotel for a reason. And it has _nothing_ to do with the rooms," I replied, opening the top to reveal the slice of seven-layer chocolate cake inside. After sweeping the tip of my index finger over the frosting on top, I held it up to her lips, hinting for her to taste.

Her tongue snaked out to circle my fingertip slowly before closing her lips around it, sucking gently as she hummed in contentment, causing my body to ache. "Not bad."

Clearing my throat with a slight shift of my hips, I took the fork in my grasp and cut off a small bite, guiding it back toward her mouth. "This is better."

Opening her mouth invitingly, her eyes held mine as the prongs slid between her lips and she slowly chewed. She shook her head as she swallowed, taking my hand gently in hers. "I completely disagree."

My brow furrowed as I watched her remove the utensil from my hold and set it back into the container, and then guided my hand to gather more frosting on my fingertips. Raising my fingers to her mouth, she coated her lips lightly with the dark substance and leaned toward me.

"I think I prefer this," she continued in a sultry tone, as her tongue flicked my fingertip.

As I took her bottom lip between mine and sucked at it gently, she rose to her knees in front of me and held my face in her hands. I raised mine to the side of her neck, smearing the remnants of frosting remaining on my finger along her skin and her head tilted back invitingly with a soft sigh.

Trailing kisses from her collarbone to her ear, I felt her body shiver as I grasped her hips, pulling her closer to straddle me. Her breasts pressed firmly against my chest when her back arched as my tongue drew small circles just below her pulse point, my lips sealing over it to feel the racing of her heart.

I brought my eyes back up to meet hers and my fingers slid around to her back, lowering the zipper of her dress and easing it off her shoulders. Returning my hands to her thighs, I slowly inched the fabric up her legs and torso, lifting it over her head. "I think we've had enough dessert for now."

Her eyes noticeably darkened and her lips met mine feverishly as she began loosening my tie, pulling the two ends free and dropping it on the bed. As her fingers rose to unbutton my shirt, I reached around her to unhook her bra, an impatient whimper escaping her throat as she paused to pull her arms through the straps before resuming her task.

Pushing the fabric over my shoulders, her kisses moved along my neck as I shrugged it off, her hand slipping between us and pressing against my hardened erection, stroking me slowly through my pants as her lips met my Adam's apple. "Oh fuck, baby."

My fingers gripped her hips as I felt her unbuckle my belt and make quick work of the button and zipper, her teeth dragging lightly over the skin of my neck. Her hands grasped mine and removed my touch from her, smiling wickedly as she slid off my legs and pulled me to kneel in front of her. Her lips brushed against mine teasingly as she lowered my pants and boxers, and then dipped her finger into the frosting. "I don't think I'm quite done with dessert yet. My turn."

Tapping her fingertip against my chin, her lips closed around the small dab she left there, repeating the action all the way down my chest and abdomen, causing my breaths to increase significantly. She trailed what remained on her finger along the underside of my length, followed by her tongue dragging slowly and torturously to the tip before taking me into the warmth of her mouth.

My head fell back as she moved along me, her fingernails running lightly over my thighs and causing a pleasurable shiver to course through my body. Suddenly, her mouth left me and she kissed her way back up my chest, my hands gripping her sides as she knelt in front of me and kissing her passionately.

"What the fuck! Get out of my room!" Rose's voice screeched through the suite.

Bella's shoulders fell with a sigh and she began to pull away, but I held her firmly, raising one of my hands to weave my fingers into her hair and turn her back to face me.

"Uh-uh, no. Just you and me tonight, remember? Nothing exists outside of this room, just for tonight," I whispered against her lips as I lowered her to the bed, settling my body on top of her as I kicked off my pants. Her hands slid around my back and gripped my shoulders, our kiss deepening as she pulled me against her.

As I slowly entered her, every other sound disappeared with her soft moan filling the air around us, our lips parting and gazes locking. Her hips lifted to meet mine more firmly, pressing me deeper and causing me to breathe out shakily.

"Make me forget everything else, Edward," she murmured softly, her fingers tracing lightly over the back of my neck.

Beginning a slow pace, I watched her face as her eyes closed and her lips parted, exhaling a soft breath each time I filled her. When she began arching her neck, I lowered my lips to the exposed skin, kissing up to her ear and feeling her body tremble in response. "How's that?"

"Getting blurry," she panted breathlessly as her hand weaved into my hair to hold me in place. She gasped abruptly as I bit lightly at her neck, followed by a resonating groan. "Blurrier."

Removing myself from her hold, I sat up and took her hands, pulling her off the mattress and silently motioned for her to turn around. She kissed me gently and complied, her hands gripping the top of the headboard tightly as I slid back inside her, my hands taking hold of her hips. My thrusts resumed at a slightly quickened pace and her head rose sharply, sending her long, brown locks cascading down her back – one sight that she knew drove me crazy.

Leaning forward to press my lips to her shoulder, my fingers slid around her stomach and lowered between her legs, massaging her in time with my thrusts. "And now?"

"Gone. Completely gone," she cried out in a strangled tone, bringing one hand back to grasp my hair again while her body rocked back anxiously against me. Her grip gradually tightened on my hair and her knuckles began whitening on the headboard, the soft whimpers emanating from her clearly indicating how close she was.

"You ready, baby?" I whispered, brushing my lips against her jaw and she nodded quickly. "Tell me, Bella. Let me hear you."

Her teeth clenched as her muscles began to tighten, her pants escaping as hisses until a growl rumbled from her throat and her head flew back against my shoulder. "Oh fuck, yes!"

My arm wrapped tightly around her waist as her body began to shake, my other hand continuing to move briskly against her. She cried out incoherently as her orgasm claimed her and I sucked lightly at the skin of her shoulder with a deep moan as mine joined hers a moment later.

Releasing her hold on my hair, she collapsed onto the bed, rolling over to gaze up at me with a satisfied smile. I slowly lowered myself onto her again, claiming her lips with mine softly as I felt her arms circle back around my shoulders.

Our friends' tirade continued to echo through the doors, but it faded into the background once again as I gazed down at the woman beneath me. Her skin still held a slight flush, but it was the look in her eyes that spoke volumes; a radiance held there that I only saw when we were together like that. Moving only to share a brief kiss or touch, the rawness of our encounter melting seamlessly into the tender passion we felt for each other.

Then suddenly, her fingers slowed as they traced through my hair and her gaze shifted to a more serious appearance. "I really do love you." She spoke softly, but the intensity of her eyes as they held mine rendered me speechless. Pulling my lips to hers, she inhaled deeply through her nose as her arms clung tightly around me and held me against her, catching me temporarily off-guard.

"Bella, baby," I managed to mumble against her lips before she finally broke away, opening her eyes again to look at me. "I love you, too, but what's wrong?"

She sighed heavily before placing a smile on her face and shaking her head. "Nothing. I'm fine. I just wanted to tell you I love you," she said, pushing me gently onto my back and brushing my lips with hers. "Be right back."

Before I could stop her, she lifted off the bed and ran into the bathroom, leaving me more than a little confounded. I sat up, removing the cake box from the bed and setting it on the bedside table, then slid my legs under the covers and leaned back against the headboard. While waiting for her to return, the look in her eyes and sudden change in her demeanor would not leave my mind. I could only hope that she wasn't already dreading the end of the week again, as she had in New York on our first morning, when we hadn't even made it to Chicago yet.

When the door opened again, she stepped out of the bathroom with a fresh face, free of make-up, rolling up the sleeves of the white bathrobe wrapped around her. Lifting her gaze to meet mine, a small smile appeared on her lips and she walked toward the bed. "You covered up. Damn."

"So did you," I pointed out, gesturing my hand to the robe and she giggled softly, crawling up the bed to lay beside me with her head on my shoulder. "Are you ever going to tell me what you were thinking?"

Her cheek lowered to rest on my chest and her arm wrapped securely around my stomach. "Is it always going to be like this?"

"Like what, baby?" I asked in a soft voice, running my hand gently over her hair.

She turned her head to press her lips against my chest for an extended moment and then sat up, propping herself on her arm as she gazed at me. "If there was no distance between us, would you want me this much still?"

I felt my brow pull together as I sat forward, resting my elbows on my bent knees. "What?" I asked in a tone of disbelief.

She ran her hand through her hair and sighed, chewing her lip gently and drew in another slow breath before continuing. "I'm not doubting that you love me, I know you do. But something Rose said tonight really got to me. And probably not even in the way she intended."

Brushing my fingers along her cheek, I attempted to coax her into looking back at me but she closed her eyes. "Bella, what?"

"Do you think if we were closer and could see or touch each other whenever we wanted," she paused, swallowing hard before bringing her eyes back to me again. "That you would still look at me the way you do now? You make me feel so beautiful, and sexy, and desirable, before you even touch me. I never want to lose that. I love the way you see me, and I don't want that to change."

"Oh, God," I breathed out heavily as her eyes lowered again, cupping her face with my hand as I slid closer to her and kissing her gently. "Baby, I'm _always_ going to want you this much. Whether there's two thousand miles between us, or two feet. I still rush home every single day just to see you and hear your voice. You're part of me, Bella."

She leaned her cheek into my palm and lifted her hand to cover mine, never taking her eyes off me. "I just never want to become ordinary to you."

Sliding my arm around her waist, I laid back and pulled her on top of me, brushing her hair from her face. "There hasn't been an ordinary thing about you since the first night I talked to you. You never cease to amaze me. And if I had any doubts about us, I might have still invited you to Chicago, but never to meet my family. I haven't done that with anyone since college."

"No one? Tanya?" she asked, her brow furrowing more as she spoke and I shook my head silently. "Wow, now I'm _really_ nervous."

"Don't be," I replied with a smile, rolling us over to hover over her. "They're going to love you just as much as I do."

**x-x-x**

**BPOV**

"Bella…"

Soft lips and warm breath moving along my neck caused me to stir. I reached back for Edward, taking his hand and wrapping his arm around me again, whimpering groggily when I felt the fabric of his shirt against the back of my arm. "Don't go."

"I have to, baby," he whispered as I turned my face toward him and he kissed me gently. "One more morning after this, then I'm all yours."

I felt the smile tug at my lips and I opened my eyes, tracing my finger along his jaw. "Good. I want to wake up to you _in _the bed with me, not just on it."

"I'll make it up to you, I promise," he replied softly, kissing me once more. "I gotta go. I love you."

"Mm, love you, too," I mumbled sleepily and pulled the covers tightly around me again as he stood to leave.

As I nuzzled back against the pillow, I had every intention of falling back asleep, passing at least another hour or two while Edward was gone. However, without his body beside me, I suddenly felt cold and sleep wouldn't claim me. I rolled over and pulled the blanket that had been covering his body all night to my face, inhaling his scent deeply and smiling.

The way he'd made love to me the night before, once he shed my robe and I slid into bed beside him, was indescribable. It was unlike anything I'd ever felt, even with him. The passion between us practically radiated through our skin, the look in his eyes as he gazed down at me, as if I were his entire world, was intoxicating, as well as enlightening.

I couldn't be without him.

Slipping out of the bed, I reached for the robe on the floor and wrapped it around my body as I stood, glancing down to the blinking light on my phone. When my screen illuminated, I smiled at the text waiting for me from Edward, sent over an hour before.

_Good morning, beautiful. Coffee's on the table. See you tonight. xo_

After sending a quick reply to thank him, I walked out into the living area, surprised to find no sign of Emmett still. Then, as I heard movement in Rose's room, I realized I probably shouldn't have been. If she was already awake, he was most likely long gone; particularly after the screaming match that Edward had so successfully distracted me from the night before.

I had just settled down at the table to take the first sip of my coffee when the door across the suite opened and Rose stepped out, closing the door behind her. Slowly lowering my cup back to the saucer, my eyes widened at her.

Rosalie Hale had always been the epitome of beauty and pride in her appearance. Yet, there she stood before me with smudged mascara and lipstick that she'd neglected to remove the night before, and her hand brushed back her tangled mass of blonde hair. Her robe hung haphazardly on her body, and she hugged it tightly around her.

"Morning," she said softly in a meek voice I'd never heard from her, which immediately rose alarm in me. "Look, before you freak out, let me explain."

"Explain? There's something to actually explain?" I asked and she lowered herself into the chair across from me with a nervous look on her face.

"Emmett is… kinda in my room," she stammered, her eyes gazing out the window.

"_Kinda_ in your room?" I replied, shaking my head in disbelief. "How is he _kinda_ in your room?"

"Alright, he's in my room. In my bed," Rose said, her breaths coming more quickly in her anxiety. "And there's no _kinda_ about the most amazing sex I've ever had happening last night, either."

"You _slept_ with Emmett?" I exclaimed with wide eyes, to which she instantly hushed me, and I continued in a softer tone. "You _hate_ Emmett!"

She shrugged her shoulders and looked away again, laughing uncomfortably. "You'd think so, huh? But something happened last night, Bella. I can't explain it. Like one minute, we were screaming at each other, and the next we couldn't keep our hands off one another. It was the weirdest thing."

I was stunned speechless, unsure of what I _would_ say if I had use of any of my faculties. I held my head between my hands, attempting to make any sense out of what she'd just told me, but there was none to be found. None of it made any sense at _all_.

"And don't hate me," she said after several moments and I brought my gaze back to her. "But I think I'm moving to Chicago at the end of term."

I furrowed my brow until her eyes met mine and I began shaking my head violently. Of all the cliché...

"I married him," she said with a nod, pulling her left hand from the pocket of her robe and holding it up, revealing a gold band now gracing her ring finger.

_Holy shit!_


	18. Viva Las Vegas! Rose and Emmett outtake

_**Viva Las Vegas**_

**A/N: I have gotten several requests for a Rose and Emmett outtake of the night still in question… how they ended up married. And it was first mentioned by my pre-reader, Karla (aka StarlightSuccubus) when she read the first draft of the chapter. I'm not overly confident in my writing of Emmett and Rose, so I hope this doesn't disappoint. :)**

_The nerve of that man! Thinking he knows the first fucking thing about me? He just met me __yesterday__! _I fumed internally as I drained another glass from the hotel bar, feeling the amber liquid burning all the way down my throat and warming my chest.

He was right; I _did_ envy Bella. From the moment she walked out of that bedroom with Edward, it was obvious in the way she looked at him how much she loved him. And as much as I'd doubted that any man could live up to the picture perfect image Bella had painted, he looked at her the exact same way. Try as I might tonight, there was nothing I could drag out of him that was anything less than perfect.

_One more glass. Just one more_, I thought to myself as I waved the bartender over to refill the glass of whiskey. _I hate him. I __hate__ him!_

For the past thirty minutes, I'd been trying to figure out how someone as incredible as Edward had proven to be – especially the way he was with Bella – could _possibly_ be friends with that Emmett… whatever his name was. Nothing about them made sense; they were complete polar opposites.

'_Guess opposites really __do__ attract, even in acquaintances.'_

With a growl, I stood and pulled out a twenty, closing my tab to head up to the room again, where I could easily fall asleep with the alcohol coursing through my system. And I could just as easily ignore the blissful mumblings and sighs from across the suite, and forget about that self-righteous, cocky son of a bitch!

Digging through my purse on the way up in the elevator, I prayed to all higher powers there were that I remembered the room key. My fingers gripped the cool plastic and I let out a sigh of relief. _No buffoon tonight_!

When I entered the room, Edward and Bella's door was already closed and I sighed, rushing to my own sanctuary as quickly as possible. Yet, when my eyes landed on the bed, relief was the _last_ thing I was feeling.

"What the fuck! Get out of my room!" I screamed, pointing toward the living area and my entire body beginning to shake in anger.

"Oh, I don't fucking think so, Queenie. You and I are gonna have some words," Emmett said quietly, but there was no questioning the ferocity in his voice as he rose from the bed to move across the room, slamming the door closed. "What the _fuck_ is your problem?"

"_My_ problem?" I retorted with a sarcastic laugh and just as instantly steeled myself. "Is you. Now if you would get the _hell out of my room,_ that would be make my fucking _night!_"

Our eyes locked intensely as he stood before me, towering over me, even at my own 5'10" height, and then suddenly started to laugh, causing me to gaze at him as if he'd lost his mind. "You know, you are a real fucking piece of work. Do you even realize this? All that shit you were giving the doc and your _friend_ down there, and yet, you would give fucking _anything_ to be in Bella's shoes, wouldn't you?"

"You don't know shit about me, so back off and get _out_!" I yelled in his face and pushed past him.

"No, I'm not going anywhere, _Rosalie_," he sneered, grabbing my arm and keeping me from moving any further. "You want a man who makes you feel like that. Who can make your heart melt and your toes curl all in the same fucking breath. Well, this bitch façade certainly isn't gonna get him for you."

I gave him a sarcastic smirk and raised an eyebrow at him. "What you see it what you get, baby. Take it or leave it."

I felt the snarl return to my features a moment later, and attempted to tug my arm away from him, only to be met with one in return from him. My shock only heightened when I felt his hand drive into my hair and his lips crash against mine, his other arm wrapped tightly around my waist. I bit his lip hard to break him off me, but his grip only tightened on my hair, kissing me more insistently.

And then I felt the heat coiling in my stomach, my body throbbing from the unexpected desire he was stirring inside me. No man had ever touched me like that, none had ever dared; and in the end, I'd always been left unsatisfied. My tongue met insistently with his while my hands unfastened his pants, sliding my fingers inside his boxers to grasp his impressive, hardened length.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one getting turned on by it all.

After stroking him only a couple of times, he released a deep growl in his throat, lifting me by the hips and carrying me hurriedly over to the dresser, knocking over the lamp there. My hands clasped his hair with a moan as he raised my skirt up my thighs feverishly and rubbed my sensitive flesh with his fingers through the lace of my panties.

"Fuck!" I gritted through clenched teeth as I began clawing at his back, dragging my nails along his skin while whipping the wifebeater he was wearing over his head. My heated gaze landed on the wide expanse of his shoulders and chest, groaning at the well-defined lines of muscle all the way down to his rigid abdomen. As I pulled his lips back to mine, his fingers pulled apart the front of my dress and gripped my breasts firmly in his strong hands, his hips grinding against me. I clenched my teeth down on his lower lip to suppress the groan threatening to escape, my knees bending to rest the heels of my shoes on the edge of the dresser. "Condoms... top drawer..."

His darkened eyes met mine as he pulled away, grasping the handle of the drawer and yanking it open. His eyebrows raised suddenly, his gaze falling to the drawer before holding up the box of twelve condoms between us. "Planning to get a little lucky?"

"This _is_ Vegas after all." I smirked as his nostrils flared subtly, wrapping my legs around his hips and pulling him back to me, shoving the drawer closed sharply with his thighs. Raising my chin ever so slightly, I held his gaze as I nodded. "That's only _one _of the boxes. There's another in my bedside table drawer."

A deep growl rumbled in his chest as he ripped off the top of the box, his lips crashing against mine while I freed him from the confines of his boxers. "Good thing both boxes are still sealed."

"What makes you think they are?" I challenged him, retrieving one of the foil packets and ripping it open with my teeth, rolling the condom onto him.

"Because if any man had made it into this room, he would have been taken out on a fucking stretcher," he sneered in a menacing tone that sent a shiver running through my body, as he pulled aside the lace between us and slammed inside me.

"Holy shit!" I screamed, my hands grasping the edge of the dresser as my head flew back against the wall.

His fingers gripped my thighs as his hips began thrusting roughly against me, ravaging my body deliciously. Strings of profanities left my lips and my heels dug into his ass, causing him to hiss in response, though his intense gaze and tightened jaw displayed only uninhibited pleasure.

"Could any of them make you feel like this?" His lips devoured mine as our labored breaths fell in rhythm with our movements, and I felt as if I'd been lit on fire.

"I don't know. I didn't get a chance to find out." He growled at my response and his fingertips pressed almost painfully into my thighs.

"And you won't need to after tonight." I clenched around him with the tremor his words incited, causing him to curse against my lips as he moved within me. Lifting me off the dresser, her carried me to the bed and dropped me roughly upon it.

My body throbbed with the loss of him, writhing on the mattress anxiously as he pulled my thong free from my body and shoved his pants and boxers over his hips. His hands landed sharply on either side of my head, holding my gaze as he thrust back inside me and a deep, resonating 'Fuck!' passed over his lips.

"Don't say it, do it," I grunted as my head lifted off the mattress and glared up at him, my hips meeting each one of his movements and pressing him deeper.

A frustrated groan escaped him and his pace increased, causing my head to loll back and my arms reached over my head to grasp the blanket in my fist. "That good enough for ya?"

"No... fuck no... harder..." I gritted through my teeth, my eyes pinching closed as my back arched when he complied. My breath caught in my throat until I felt as if I were about to leap out of my skin. "Oh god… god… ugh, fuck you!"

I screamed at him as my body began convulsing, my orgasm raging through me like a wildfire. Each strike of his hips against me sending jolts of pleasure throughout my body that I'd never felt from any man.

"I just did," he panted, lowering his lips to mine roughly and exuding a loud groan as he released, my nails digging into his shoulders.

When his body finally collapsed on mine, his head moved to rest on the mattress and I released my grip, slowly allowing the past several minutes truly begin to settle in. I'd actually slept with him, I was really feeling the weight of him on top of me in the aftermath. I'd had orgasms during sex before, having a highly sensitive body, but never anything that left me feeling completely spent and satiated. My legs still trembled with aftershocks and my skin pulsed in time with my racing heart; there was nothing mediocre about what had just happened.

He lifted his head to look down at me, both of us still struggling to catch our breath. He stared at me silently for a moment before pushing off the bed, lifting his pants up his thighs, and disappearing into the bathroom. I felt my face burning as I sat up, tugging the skirt of my dress back down over my legs and pulling the open front closed across my chest. I should have been used to it— no one ever stuck around for long once they'd had me. Once they'd gotten the taste of Rosalie Hale and the bragging rights that apparently accompanied it, there was no need.

The difference was, it actually bothered me that time. Instead of relief that it was over, I felt regret. Satisfied, yet still hungry for more... and he was done with me.

When I heard the movement in the bathroom, I smoothed my hair back away from my face and assumed my proficient mask of indifference. Sliding off the bed, I made my way to the closet to change. I needed to get out of here, to remove myself from the humiliation. We still had another two full days, and the morning after that, remaining before we left for Chicago; things were going to be really awkward. Not only for myself and Emmett, but for Bella and Edward as well.

When the door finally opened, I couldn't bring myself to look up, instead waiting for him to just grab his shirt and leave.

"Marry me."

My eyes widened at the sound of those two words and my head shot up to look at him over my shoulder. He was leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded over his massive, bare chest. I swallowed hard at the seriousness in his gaze and voice, and I shook my head with a laugh as I slid the bathrobe around me.

"Admirable, but not necessary." I spoke as nonchalantly as my voice would allow, turning my eyes back to gaze into the closet. "Obviously you haven't stolen my virtue or anything, so no harm done."

"Why are you like this?" he asked without any of the hostility I'd become accustomed to since the moment we met. Instead, his tone came through with a sigh, stripping me of my comfort zone in dealing with him.

"Like what? This is just me."

"I don't believe you," he replied in a matter of fact tone, and I felt his presence closing in behind me even before his hands came to rest on my waist. "Why the act?"

"Just go, Emmett," I whispered, feeling his touch fall from me and holding my breath as I waited for the sound of the bedroom door. I was startled when his hands returned to my shoulders and turned me around to face him, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't hold myself together anymore. I kept my eyes averted from him and my posture remained stiff.

"Rosalie," he began, raising his hand to rest on my cheek and stroking it gently with his thumb. I felt my body begin to tremble, unsure of how to react to the tender gesture and finally looked at him. "This isn't you. If it was, you wouldn't be here with Bella, because you wouldn't care enough to be. So, what is it?"

"Believe me, Emmett. If you knew the first thing about me, you'd already be out that door." I shook my head, pulling away and walking around him, back toward the bed. "I'm not the kind of woman a man keeps around, and that's fine with me. I ruined my chances for a happily ever after a long time ago. And there's no way I'm going to be _any_ man's arm candy. I have at least _that_ much dignity left. So, save the obligatory shit, nothing needs to be said to Edward or Bella about this. Find yourself a nice Susie Homemaker, because I'm not it."

He drew in a deep intake of breath and his silent, looming presence was beginning to make me nervous, until I heard him chuckle. I turned quickly to face him, my eyes narrowing but it had no effect on him; he actually began moving closer. "I was wrong. You aren't just a piece of work, you're a fucking masterpiece."

I felt my forehead wrinkle in response as he sat down on the bed, leaning back onto his elbows. "So, now you've gone from asking me to marry you to insulting me? I couldn't have bruised your ego _that_ much."

"Who's insulting?" he replied, waving his hands out casually. "I was just making an observation. You carry that tough as nails bitch routine pretty fucking well, I'll give you that. But I know for a fact that I wasn't far off the mark tonight. You'd give anything to have something like what Bella has with Edward."

My lips pressed together in a hard line and my temper boiled inside of me, my fists clenching at my sides. The man was infuriating the living hell out of me. "Even if I _did_, which I don't, that would be none of your damn business. Fucking my brains out doesn't give you the right to make judgments on me."

"For the love of god, will you _stop?_!" Emmett exclaimed, sitting up abruptly. "Are you even listening to yourself? You're flipping from hot to cold so fast, you're making me dizzy. For once in your rich, pampered, valley girl life, be fucking _real_."

"Pampered valley girl?" I seethed, my jaw clenched so tightly that I thought for sure my teeth would shatter under the pressure and angry tears burned in my eyes. "Get out."

"Why? Is honesty _that _hard to come by with you? Been playing your little part so long that you don't even _know_ what's real anymore?" he yelled as he sprung off the bed, taking me by surprise once again.

"You want real? I'll give you fucking real." I stepped closer to him, my eyes boring into his as my body trembled angrily. "I don't even remember what my own fucking bedroom at 'home' looks like, because it's been so long since I've been inside it. Boarding school by the age of six, shuffled between relatives during school breaks because my parents were just far too busy with their vacations to be bothered with me. Crack addiction by the age of fourteen. Pregnant by sixteen, but I was far too selfish to give up my pleasure, even for the baby inside me. So I fucked that up, too, and lost it. Rehab by seventeen. You want to ask me how many men I've been with? I can't fucking tell you. Because I simply don't know. Surprisingly enough, I'm still clean, though, so don't fucking worry."

By the time I finished, streams of hot tears were flowing down my cheeks, slightly embarrassed by my sudden tirade while he stared at me silently. No one knew any of that about me, since I'd left all that behind me and went to LA for a fresh start. And it made me feel bare and exposed in front of this virtual stranger.

Swiping at my face roughly with my fingers, I stormed over to the door, yanking it open and turning back to look at him. "There, you got your fucking honesty, and now you can leave. I told you I wasn't a 'happily ever after' girl."

His expression shifted suddenly, alarming me with its severity as he crossed the room and pulled the door from my hold. He slammed it shut and pressing his hand against it, glaring down at me as my fingers returned to the handle to attempt to reopen it. "You think I care about any of that? Everyone makes mistakes and has flaws. No one is fucking perfect!" His loud, deep voice bellowed at me and I was just about to snap back at him when he continued. "I was a foster kid until I was fourteen. I made every home I lived in hell, on purpose. Just to see how far I could push them. I dropped out of med school. I drink too much at times, and I _always_ swear too fucking much. Does that make _me _undeserving of happiness?"

And for once... I had nothing to say. My eyes lowered to the ground and my back rested back against the door, shaking my head in response.

He turned and placed a palm on either side of my head, and I closed my eyes as his lips brushed lightly against my cheek. "Then why should you be?"

The soft, tender tone of his voice returned and I brought my gaze back to him, staring into his gorgeous blue eyes. "Because I'm _really_ fucked up. No man wants to deal with all the baggage I've got. You barely know me, Emmett. So, just cut your losses now."

I attempted to lower my chin again but he caught it with the crook of his finger, slowly lowering his lips to mine and kissing me gently. "Marry me."

"Why?"

"Because you felt something in here with me tonight besides just a mind-blowing orgasm. I know you did."

"And what makes you think it was mind-blowing?" I replied with a raised eyebrow and a small smirk appeared on his lips.

"I have the indents on my ass from your heels to prove it." My eyes fell closed and I laughed beside myself, feeling his hands cup along my jaw and his lips press against my forehead. "Marry me, Rosalie."

"It's Rose," I whispered, finally bringing my hands to his chest to touch him again. He pulled back from me slightly and I looked up at him, noting the stunned look in his eyes. I lifted up onto my toes to kiss him gently, barely parting my lips from his before speaking again. "And I think you better get me out of here before I have a chance to try and talk myself out of it."

His eyes widened and his smile reappeared. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. One question though?" I asked, my brow tightening and he nodded. "What _is_ your last name?"

"You mean you're not gonna make me take yours?" he replied in a burst of laughter and I growled in an attempt to push him away, but he pressed my body back against the door with his and kissed me again. "It's McCarty."

"Well, Mr. McCarty. Let's get rings on our fingers and our asses back in that bed. I intend to thoroughly enjoy my wedding night," I murmured against his lips, feeling the heat in my body rise at the thought of feeling him again.

"Viva Las Vegas, baby," he said with a laugh, sliding his arms around my waist and lifting me off the floor, spinning me once before he carried me back to the closet.

**x-x-x**

My head rose and fell with the movements of his chest, and I felt his arm tighten around me as he slept. Even after two more hours of him completely ravaging my body upon our return to the room from the small Las Vegas chapel, my eyes still would not close. Instead, they watched my fingertip as it traced along the lines of his chest and abdomen, never losing sight of the simple gold band that now graced my left hand.

My husband. He'd really married me. After everything I'd said and done over the previous twenty-four hours, he actually _wanted_ me. And for the first time in as long as I could remember, I didn't want to be alone in the bed. He could have easily run from me; I'd given him every opportunity to. Yet, he was still there—holding me. Feeling his body against mine as I curled against him and brushing my lips on his chest, I'd never felt so safe in my life. Despite the irrational and spontaneous manner of our actions, every part of it felt right.

Was this what Bella felt with Edward? That everything just simply made sense and fell into place? If so, I could completely understand. I could already feel the anguish of what it was going to be like to say goodbye, to let him go. And I didn't know how Bella and Edward did it, with the connection already in place with each other, to knowingly walk into a hello only to have to say goodbye.

_How am I ever going to explain this to them after the hell I've put them through?_

Emmett shifted slightly beneath me and I felt his lips press against my tangled hair. I looked up at him and our lips met, not in the heated way they had earlier, but soft and gentle. His thumb gently brushed across my cheek, and it was only then that I noticed that tears actually streaked down them.

"Having second thoughts?" he asked in a husky whisper and I opened my eyes again to look at him.

I shook my head and pressed myself closer to him. "No. I just can't believe this happened. Any other man would have run away screaming after tonight. Why didn't you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Emmett replied and smiled, rolling me onto my back and kissing me gently. "I'm not just any other man, Rose."

"Well, _that_ much _is_ obvious. Marrying a woman you barely know after twenty-four hours of nothing but fighting," I laughed quietly and then my face fell serious. "But what's going to happen once we go back home?"

"We'll figure it all out. I promise." The backs of his fingers brushed along my face as he stared into my eyes intently. "Marriage is something very serious for me, Rose. Something I never intended on doing until I knew I found the right woman."

"How do you know I'm that woman?" I asked nervously, my fingertips running distractedly along his bicep.

"I think I knew the moment I met you. And that's not just some cheap line. You've got so much fire and passion inside you, you give as good as you get. I'm sure we'll do a lot of fighting. Because we're both always right," he whispered with a laugh, kissing me gently as I smacked him in the shoulder.

"The more we fight, the more we can make up." I smirked against his lips, wrapping my leg around his and pulling him closer.

"See," he replied, brushing his lips against mine as he settled his body on top of me. "Great minds think alike. We're soul mates, Rose."

My only response was a moan as he entered me again.


	19. Unbearable Silence

**Late Night Encounters 17 - Unbearable Silence**

_**BPOV**_

Edward sat with his elbow resting on the arm of the chair, inhaling slow, deep breaths as he pinched the bridge of his nose. The bouncing of his foot propped on his knee had been the only sign of reaction from him since returning to the room that evening to the news of our friends eloping. Rose gave Emmett a nervous glance, and then briefly looked over to where I stood by the window when Edward still made no motion to speak.

My gaze turned back outside, unsure of how to react to it myself and I'd had all day to absorb it. Just the previous evening, they'd been exchanging death glares over dinner and verbal daggers back in the suite as Edward successfully distracted me in the sanctuary of our room. But from the moment Emmett emerged from Rose's that morning, no one would have been able to guess that they were the same people from the night before. Everything had changed; their glares had melted into adoring glances as he rested his hand on her shoulder, hers rising to cover it before they shared a tender kiss. They spoke to each other in soft, hushed tones while I sat in the chair now occupied by Edward, attempting to wrap my head around it all.

As he seemed to be doing at that very moment, but his calm silence was unsettling. I looked back to him and his foot had stilled, the crease in his forehead diminished, and his hand lowered to his knee. His eyes were unreadable as he looked up at me, causing my stomach to tighten anxiously, before returning his gaze to Rose and Emmett.

"So, let me get this straight," he began, lowering his foot to the ground and leaning forward on his knees with his elbows. "You're married?"

His voice held an edge that I couldn't decipher, and Emmett's tense demeanor did nothing to quell my anxiety. The man who knew Edward as well—if not better—than I did, could not meet his eyes. He and Rose both straightened, their fingers visibly tightening around the other's hand and nodding simultaneously.

Edward's lips rested against his tented hands as his drew in another slow breath, his eyes closing again. His leg began bouncing and I sighed, moving across the room to stand behind him and resting my hands on his shoulders. He was tense and barely responded at all to my presence, his eyes reopening to look between Emmett and Rose again.

"Edward–"

"Em, can I talk to you for a sec?" Edward interrupted me, motioning his head to the side toward Rose's room and standing. Emmett breathed out slowly, visibly relaxing and nodding with a smile, rising to follow him toward the door.

"Hold on," Rose spoke up, standing abruptly from the couch and taking Emmett's arm, causing both men to turn and look to her. "Why can't you talk right here?"

Emmett moved back to her and kissed her temple, whispering something softly into her ear. I watched as she calmed slightly with his hushed words, leaning into him for a moment and brushing her lips against his.

My eyes moved to Edward, hoping for some answers, but he remained stoic as he waited for his friend.

As Emmett pulled away from Rose, he looked back to Edward and began walking toward him again. "You gonna cuff me, too, Doc?"

Edward gave the hint of a smile and rolled his eyes while Emmett passed him, taking one last glance back at me and Rose before following him into the room.

The moment the door closed, Rose returned her gaze to me and hugged her arms around herself, as if expecting the onslaught to begin from me as well. I walked back to the window, pulling aside the curtains to look out over the flashing lights of Las Vegas.

"Say something," her tense voice sounded behind me.

"What do you want me to say?" I asked without even a glance in her direction. "That I understand when I don't? That this doesn't worry me at all?"

"Something. _Anything_." Her exasperation rose as she moved closer to me. "Bella, you've practically been a zombie all day long, since I told you about this. I don't expect you to be jumping for joy, but _some_ kind of reaction would be nice."

I ran my hand through my hair, holding it at the back off my head before releasing a heavy sigh and allowing it to drop. "I don't know _how _to react, Rose. I just can't make any sense of it. Last night, you two could have raised the roof with the volume of your screams, and this morning you walk out of your room in the midst of marital bliss? You barely even know him, let alone _like_ him. I mean, what were you thinking?"

"Now, that's what I'm talking about," she replied, as my simple statement became a rant of my pent up thoughts, my voice raising an octave or two as I spoke. "This wasn't just some drunken, reckless thing. He _gets_ me, like _really_ gets me. No one ever has before, or even cared to try. I told him things last night that I haven't told _anyone_, and it didn't change anything. He still wanted me and he's everything _I've_ ever wanted in a man."

Pressing my fingers to my temples, I began to pace again for what felt like the millionth time that day. "But last night," I started with my eyes closed and then turned back to face her. "You were jumping down Edward's throat about the irregularity of _our_ relationship. He was _so_ nervous throughout that entire interrogation, and then you go and do this? And already talking about moving to Chicago? How can you even think about relocating so drastically for someone you barely know?"

"And you've never thought about it, to be with Edward?" Rose replied pointedly, shrugging her shoulders. "He's my _husband_, Bella. I'm not going to live thousands of miles away from my _husband_. And Chicago makes the most sense right now. He's got a job he enjoys, an apartment in the city he loves. I honestly can't stand LA, and I'm gonna be just getting out of school and leaving a dorm. There's no reason that I can see for us both to start from scratch."

I sighed, glancing again at her left hand to the simple gold band resting there. Rose was _married_; Emmett was her _husband_. And hearing it from her lips struck a chord deep inside me.

Between Rose, Alice and I, we always thought that I would be the first to get married, and Rose would be the last. Her distaste for the male population, outside of an occasional one-night stand, gave no indication that marriage was anywhere near her thoughts or aspirations. Alice tended to lose interest within months of a new relationship. And me... before Edward, I hadn't given relationships much thought at all, focusing more on school. Yet deep down, I knew that someday, it would be something I wanted.

Rose stepped closer to me after an extended silence and took my arm, bringing my attention back to her. "If anyone could understand my situation right now, it's you, Bella. I've never been happier in my life than I was last night with him. And when I woke up this morning and he was still there, I knew I'd made the right decision. I didn't regret it, and I felt safe. I've _never_ known what it's like to feel safe, until I felt his arms around me like that. I don't _want_ to be without him, and the thought of having to do it for even a couple of months scares the shit out of me. When have I ever said anything like that about _any_ man?"

"Never," I replied softly, lowering my eyes and shaking my head. "But Rose, you don't love him."

"Not everything is so black and white, and there is a _very _thin line between love and hate," Rose said in a matter of fact tone. "I'm not gonna stand here and be the ultra-romantic, that everyone knows I'm not, and say I have crazy passionate love for him, because I don't. But I respect the hell out of him. Love is secondary to that. People who are madly in love get married all the time, and end up divorced a year later because they are missing that one vital element."

At that, I had no argument, as I'd seen it many times myself with some of my friends from high school. Getting married straight after graduation, only to end up miserable, divorced, or both. Even my own parents had come close when I was a little girl, but one thing that saved them was their mutual respect for each other.

Drawing in a deep breath, I stepped toward the table, sitting down in one of the chairs and looking up at her. "Obviously, I'm no stranger to impulsivity, as I've so clearly proven on more than one occasion over the last several months," I began with a roll of my eyes, at which Rose smirked. "I'm just worried about you. And the selfish part of me is going to miss you, and envies you."

"Well, you know one way to fix all of that, right? I mean, it's not as if Chicago holds no appeal for you whatsoever," Rose retorted sarcastically with a raised eyebrow and I shrugged, unwilling to steer the conversation in that direction. Her expression shifted suddenly and she sat down across from me, spinning her ring around her finger. "I know I've been rough on you and Edward over the last couple of days, and I'm sorry. I really do get it now. I'm not expecting you to forgive me or even understand this thing with Emmett and me. I'm only hoping that you can be happy for me."

"I _am_ happy for you, Rose. I really am," I replied softly with a nod. "If you're happy, then I'm happy. It's just a lot to take in."

Rose smiled slightly and then turned her eyes to the bedroom door, her bottom lip pinched between her teeth. "What about him?"

My gaze joined hers and my thoughts returned to Edward. It was times such as that I realized, even with everything I knew about him, it was still only a fraction of the man as a whole. What _was_ he thinking? Was he angry? Apprehensive? Just plain confused, as I was? I had no answers and that scared me more than just a little. When she looked back to me, I forced a smile and reached across the table to rest my hand on hers. "I'm sure he's fine. Just a bit taken off guard."

Rose shifted uncomfortably, tapping her manicured nail on the tabletop, and glancing back across the room from the corner of her eye. Finally, she stood abruptly and shook her head. "This is driving me crazy. I have to know what's going on in there."

As I rose to stop her from moving toward the door, it opened and the two men emerged from inside.

Edward gave Emmett the hint of a smile and patted his shoulder with his hand. "Just give me five minutes to change and we can head out for drinks."

When he turned to face us, his expression was once again unreadable and I watched Rose visibly stiffen. He stepped toward her and gently kissed her cheek, causing her eyes to widen.

"Congratulations, Rose. He's a great guy," he said softly and then moved around her to head toward our bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Our stunned gazes moved to Emmett and he held his arms out for Rose, at which she quickly crossed the room, where they engulfed her the moment she reached him. I couldn't help but stare as he held her against him, murmuring softly into her hair before they retreated into their room as well.

I hesitantly turned to gaze in the direction of our room, taking a deep breath as I walked toward it and exhaling slowly before entering. I stepped inside and leaned back against the door as it closed, looking over at Edward as he undid the last button of his shirt and shrugged it off his shoulders.

"Everything okay?" I asked in as calm of a voice as I could muster.

His eyes remained on the wall in front of him as he nodded, his lips pursed slightly. "Yeah, everything's fine."

I sighed, pushing off the door and walking toward him, sliding my arms around his waist and pressing my lips to his upper arm. "How about you? Are _you_ okay?"

His face turned toward me and his eyes lowered to mine before gently kissing my forehead. "Of course. I'm just gonna take a quick shower, then we'll go."

I stared after him in bewilderment as he pulled away from me, grabbed his change of clothes and walked into the bathroom. As the sound of running water emanated from within, I sat down on the edge of the bed, resting my face in my hands.

_He's still in shock, that's all this is,_ I told myself as I attempted to draw air into my lungs again. _He'll relax over drinks tonight, and everything will be fine._

I stood again and made my way to the closet, retrieving the black dress I'd worn on our first night in New York. I remembered how much he loved it then as I changed quickly. I was at a loss as to what else to do.

He'd never pushed me away like that, online or in person; distancing himself from me without cause. While never a man of many words, the quiet he was still displaying, even after his talk with Emmett, was extreme—even for him. And when he stepped out of the bathroom moments later, his silent, all-too-brief smile in my direction caused my stomach to tense.

It continued through the first hour of drinks, even as his hand gently held mine beneath the table. He responded in nods and one or two word answers when spoken to, but the distraction of his mind was evident—particularly through his consumption of three beers within that hour.

If there was one thing I definitely knew about Edward, it was that he was _not_ much of a drinker, and certainly not to that extent.

"I'll be right back," he said suddenly and rose from his seat without another word, making his way across the bar.

"Wow, four whole words. That's an improvement," Emmett said quietly as soon as Edward was out of earshot and then turned his gaze to me. "He alright?"

"I was hoping _you_ could tell _me_," I replied, looking up from my glass to him. "He barely spoke to me back in the room, and now this. I can't make heads or tails of it. What happened in that room?"

Rose looked to Emmett as well, tilting her head slightly in question. "Yes, please. For the love of God, what _did_ happen? This doesn't look like 'everything's cool'."

"All I know is he was fine when we left the room. I've never seen him like this. As much as I harp on him for being a tight ass, this is a whole new level for him," Emmett replied, shaking his head and taking a sip of his beer.

I leaned forward and rested my elbows on the table, holding my head in my hands. "Great, that makes me feel so much better."

Emmett reached over and placed a comforting hand on my arm. "Don't worry, Bella. I'm sure he'll be fine. He gets into his moods but he eventually cools off. You know that."

I looked up at him, relaxing slightly at his reassuring smile, and nodding. "Yeah, I know. I just don't know how to approach _this_ mood."

"Do you think he's upset because we're married and you guys aren't?" Rose asked suddenly and my gaze snapped over to her with wide eyes. "Anything's possible, right?"

"No, I _really_ don't think that's it." I laughed and shifted in my seat uncomfortably. "We're just not there yet, Rose."

"And _we_ were?" Rose replied, gesturing between her and Emmett and then straightened as she spotted Edward coming back toward the table. "Think about it."

I stiffened slightly when I felt Edward's fingers brush against my shoulders as he leaned against the back of my chair. "Bella, I'm gonna head back to the room. You coming or do you want to stay here for a while?"

"No, I'll come with you," I replied, reaching for my purse. "See you two in the morning?"

Rose and Emmett nodded as I stood and Edward bid them good night as well. My anxiety rose as he continued to remain silent, simply holding my hand in contrast to his usual behavior when we were finally alone. No playful glances or smiles, no teasing whispers or promises of things to come.

When we finally made it back to the room, with the bedroom door closed behind us, I watched Edward as he immediately began undressing, stripping down to his boxers and climbing into bed. I sighed and made my way into the bathroom to change, emerging moments later to find him lying on his back and his eyes already closed. The slight twitching of his fingers beneath his head was the only indication that he was even still awake.

Sliding into bed next to him, I pressed my body against his side. I placed my hand on his cheek as I moved my lips along his neck to his jaw, desperate for some sense of affection and normalcy between us. But his hand rose and wrapped his fingers around mine, kissing them gently before lowering them to his chest.

"I'm really tired, baby. Can I take a raincheck?" he mumbled without even opening his eyes to look at me.

_Well, that was some affection, at least… until he pushed me away again,_ I thought as I pressed my lips to his shoulder to keep them from trembling before resting my head on his chest. His arm slid around me and he quickly fell asleep.

Yet sleep was the furthest thing from my mind. He'd never been 'too tired' for me before, even after a long, grueling week of on call at the hospital. And I never thought he would waste a single moment that we were actually together physically. He'd left my thoughts to drift back to Rose's statement at the table before we left, and my musings from earlier in the evening.

_Was _he upset about that? That never in our months together as an actual couple, had we even discussed past this visit, let alone any permanent kind of future together?

I didn't see how that was possible, since Edward had always seemed like a 'by the books' type of guy. Everything in life seemed to have a certain order with him, none of which included something as spontaneous as eloping in Vegas. So his behavior all night left me more than a little uneasy.

Maybe things would get better once we got to Chicago, when he was back home in his comfort zone.

**x-x-x**

"You're staying in Vegas?" Edward asked as he set our suitcases by the door on Tuesday morning, staring at Emmett in disbelief.

"Yeah. Figured that you and Bella would probably want the rest of the week to yourselves anyway, with you guys heading up north and all. And Rosie wants to stick around and catch some off the shows. She's got her heart set on that _Viva Elvis _thing, or whatever it's called," Emmett replied, waving his hand dismissively.

"Rosie?" Edward quirked his eyebrow at Emmett.

"Elvis?" I exclaimed with wide eyes, gaping at Rose. "Really?"

"Hey, he was hot in his day!" Rose snapped defensively, pointing at me and then turning to look at Edward. "And he put this ring on my finger, he can call me anything he wants. If I object, I can always cut him off."

Edward chuckled softly and shook his head, but his smile still didn't reach his eyes. "Well, have fun. We, on the other hand, do have a plane to catch. Ready, baby?"

I nodded and walked over to Rose, wrapping my arms around her. "Well, enjoy your honeymoon. Don't have _too_ much fun. We still have school in less than a week."

She laughed and hugged me back, whispering in my ear. "Even with his quirks, he's a keeper. Just talk to him."

I pulled away in time to see her motion her eyes toward Edward, and I gave her an uncertain smile in response before turning to Emmett. "It was really nice to meet you. I'm sure I'll be seeing you again soon before you steal 'Rosie' here away?"

Emmett's booming laugh filled the room as he engulfed me in his arms, hugging me tightly. "You can count on it, Little One."

A genuine smile touched my lips at his affectionate pet name for me and he gently kissed my cheek as he released me. And after Edward said his goodbyes to them both, we made our way downstairs to the waiting cab.

We made small talk all the way to the airport, but there was still no mention of Emmett and Rose, or the events that had transpired over our time in Vegas. Every conversation centered around our arrival in Chicago, cementing the idea in my head that things would return to normal once we got there. As soon as he was in the familiar surroundings of home.

However, when we finally took off, the tension in his body visibly began to return and my relief dissipated along with it. I rested my head on his shoulder and began to read my book to distract myself, but relished in the feel of his lips pressing against my hair briefly before he turned his gaze back out the window.

The three and a half hour flight seemed endless in our silence, and I eagerly fastened the seatbelt when the captain announced the impending descent into O'Hare. I was anxious to get off that plane and to Edward's apartment, praying that I wouldn't strip my lower lip raw with my teeth in the meantime.

Once we were in the confines of his car, I drew in a deep breath, remembering a different time in the very same vehicle. It looked and smelled the same, but everything else wasn't even close. His desire and need to touch me then was as palpable as my own. I could see it in every glance and smile, hear it in every breath he took—but there was also a major difference in his body language back then. Despite anticipating the culmination of months of waiting for that moment, he was still fairly laid back and carefree; his smile never left his face and conversation never lapsed.

He was _happy_ to be there with me then; and at that moment, I couldn't be so certain.

We finally reached his apartment, and though I'd seen parts of it a hundred times over, I somehow hadn't expected it to be so… normal. It was definitely a man's apartment—simple and halfway neat—but nothing that screamed 'successful doctor in a major university hospital'.

"Sorry, I didn't have a lot of time to clean before I left for Vegas," Edward said in a soft voice, obviously noting my perusal.

"No, it looks great," I replied nervously, setting my carry-on down at my feet.

One corner of his mouth twitched as he showed me around the apartment, ending at his bedroom where he set down the suitcases and turned to me.

"And there's another bathroom right through there," he said, pointing toward another doorway on the other side of the room.

I reached out for Edward's hand without a word and pulled him toward me, gently lacing my fingers in his hair and pressing my lips to his.

He surprised me with his response. After two days of little more than his hand holding mine, or a chaste kiss here and there, both of his arms wrapped tightly around me. He pulled me closer and kissed me feverishly, with all the passion I'd yearned for. As if he desired me the way I desired him, like he couldn't get enough of me.

The way he had only days before.

Taking the front of his shirt in my hands, I walked backward toward the bed, pulling him down on top of me, anxious to feel the weight of his body on mine. I guided his hand from its position on my hip and slid it beneath my shirt, cupping it around my lace-clad breast. His body pressed more firmly against mine, and I could feel him becoming aroused as my hands gripped his shoulders, unable to get close enough to him.

I rolled my hips up against him and he squeezed my breast in response, our moans reverberating between us. As I began to unbutton his shirt, I brushed kisses along his jaw and down his neck, sliding my hands beneath the fabric upon unfastening the final one.

"I want you," I whispered in his ear, running my fingertips lightly over the skin of his back.

Edward pressed his lips firmly to my shoulder and I felt my shirt slowly begin to rise up my abdomen. As he began moving down my body, I felt a vibration against the inside of my leg. We both released a heavy sigh as he shifted to retrieve his phone from the holster on his hip and glanced at the caller id. "It's the hospital, baby. I've gotta take this."

I nodded, though disappointed at the interruption of our first moment alone together, and he kissed me gently before standing off the bed.

"Dr. Cullen," he answered into the phone and I sat up to remove my shoes. His formal referral to himself sounded off to my ears, as did his calm, professional tone only seconds after our heated moment. "Yes, sir… Now?"

I furrowed my brow as he looked down at his watch before holding the phone between his ear and shoulder, rebuttoning his shirt. He glanced at my questioning expression and held up a finger as he continued to speak.

"Okay, I can be there in... fifteen minutes?" he replied only half questioningly to the person on the other end. He walked into his closet and returned quickly with a pair of slacks in his hands. "Yes, sir. It's no problem at all. Goodbye."

I felt a tightening in my chest as he ended the call and hurriedly changed out of his jeans. In the few short minutes of the conversation, any hint of his previous state of arousal had all but diminished. And though probably only my overactive imagination at work, he almost seemed relieved for the disruption. "Is something wrong?"

His eyes rose to meet mine as he tucked in his shirt and then shook his head. "That was just my boss. He needs me to come in for a quick meeting. I shouldn't be more than an hour."

"I thought you were on vacation for the rest of the week," I stated, albeit resembling somewhat of a spoiled brat, and lowered my eyes to my lap in realization of that fact. "Sorry. I know your work needs to come first."

His legs came into my view in front of me and his hands rested on either side of my face. He brought my gaze to meet his and bent at the waist to kiss me gently. "I'm sorry, Bella. I won't be long, I promise."

I sighed as I watched him quickly leave the room and heard his keys jingle moments before the door closed, leaving me only to my thoughts. I felt odd, being in the unfamiliar surroundings of Edward's apartment without him there. But more than that, the stillness made me feel even more uneasy. Everything had its place in that room, except me – not at all the way I'd expected.

The truth was that I really didn't know what I'd expected; I only knew that was not it. When I'd envisioned coming to Chicago with Edward, I'd imagined him taking me in his arms the moment we walked in the door, making me feel at ease and at home. But what surrounded me was not home, it was just a residence. As I looked around, everything seemed sober and meticulous. The absence of color, empty walls, and lack of furniture gave a coldness to the atmosphere. It seemed to mirror Edward's behavior in the past few days, which had been filled with so much silence, I had the urge to scream just to break it.

I stood and made my way out to the living room in an attempt to fill the time while waiting for Edward to return, feeling more lonely than ever. My eyes immediately found his desk along the far wall, and I felt drawn by the familiarity. I settled into his large comfortable chair and glanced over the surface.

There was next to nothing on it but his monitor, a coaster, and two small, framed photographs. The first was what I assumed were his parents – judging from the hair color of the woman, so similar to Edward's, and familiar features I recognized on the man, as well the slight hints of grey at his temples. They made such a beautiful couple, and appeared very happy and in love as well.

I looked to the next photograph and I reached out to take it into my hands. It was of me, with my eyes closed and my face resting on his chest. I ran my thumb along the silver edge of the frame, my teeth dragging along my lip.

He'd obviously taken it in New York, during one of the few times I'd fallen asleep during the week, bringing to light once again the sharp contrast between then and the present moment.

Edward had barely left my side the entire time, and there was never a time while we were together when we weren't touching in some way. Upon reflection, I could see and feel how much he loved me, even without him speaking the words. But now, there were times that I couldn't get him to look me in the eyes, and never with the same intensity and passion in his gaze as there was then. And his lack of affection was weighing on me.

I couldn't understand why there was such a change, even if he was still wrapping his mind around his friend getting married. Why should that affect his demeanor with me? Something was wrong and he wouldn't talk to me; was this how it would be throughout the entire visit? There was no way I could _bear_ it through the entire visit.

I set the frame back in its place on his desk and my eyes fell to the black keyboard, running my fingers lightly over the keys. I ached for _my_ Edward—the one who had sat at that desk night after night, aching for me just as badly. Telling me how much he wanted and needed me as we brought each other to the heights of pleasure. The same Edward that told me he loved me at the end of every call.

With a sharp exhale, I pushed myself out of the chair and headed back into the bedroom, grabbing my suitcase and tossing it on the bed. _I'm going to get my man back, no matter what it takes_, I thought as I grabbed my essentials and headed for the bath.


	20. Where Do We Go From Here?

**Late Night Encounters 18 ~ Where Do We Go From Here?**

**EPOV**

I was being an ass; there was no two ways about it. It wasn't a conscious effort I was making, since there was nothing that could ever cause me to wish on Bella the hurt I'd seen in her eyes in the past few days. I thought that once we got to Chicago, where it would just be the two of us, things would be calmer, more relaxed. I wouldn't feel that sensation in my gut every time I was in the same room with the newlyweds.

I hadn't given much thought to the future beyond the fact that I definitely wanted Bella to be in it. I was in a committed relationship with her—despite the distance—and until a few days before, that had been enough for us both.

Then, our friends went and got married after barely knowing each other for twenty-four hours.

Beyond the shock of the event itself, the feelings it had evoked within me still baffled me. As much as I loved Bella, I would have never been able to be that spontaneous and make a life-altering decision like that. And I had no idea what was going on in my own relationship as a result.

Would Bella's expectations change? I'd seen enough women in my department at work go crazy over two things through the years, more than anything else; marriage and babies. Even with those who'd never appeared to have any aspirations for such a thing beforehand. Was that going to happen with her, too? Would she think I didn't love her enough if I didn't jump at the idea of marriage?

Since that night in Vegas, she'd been noticeably anxious for my attention, no doubt due to my own actions. I could feel it in epic proportions the instant we were alone in my bedroom earlier in the evening. I'd felt guilty that she believed that she needed to resort to such extremes to gain even that small amount of affection from me. None of it was her fault, nor was she the cause for what I was feeling.

I'd wanted her just as badly as she wanted me, and it took everything in me not to scream in frustration when my phone rang between us. Even more so when I saw that it was the hospital.

_Here goes another relationship put on the back burner for my career_, I thought bitterly as I answered my phone.

And as I sat in Dr. Molina's office for over an hour afterward, my thoughts mirrored Bella's from before I left. I _was_ supposed to be on vacation for the remainder of the week; that was the trade-off for the disruption of my time with her by that damn conference. Why the meeting couldn't have waited until the following Monday when I returned, I had no idea.

Not to mention that my mind wasn't completely there anyway. In my frustration, I hadn't even extended Bella the common courtesy of making sure she felt welcome and comfortable in my home. Instead, I just gave her a kiss, promised to be back, and left.

As I began the drive back to my apartment, what felt like a million thoughts and fears began running through my mind as to what I would be returning _to_. I wouldn't have blamed her in the slightest if the call from work had been the last straw for her and she'd reached her limit. I knew we needed to talk, I just didn't know exactly where to begin. But we also couldn't spend the rest of the week together with it all hanging over us either. Maybe I could take her out for a quiet dinner or something; I'd wasted enough of our time.

I hesitantly turned the doorknob to my apartment and found the entire place darkened. The only hint of light in the entire area was the soft glow from above the stove in the kitchen, and beyond the crack of the bedroom door.

"Bella?" I called out quietly as I made my way through the apartment, repeatedly calling out her name and receiving no response. Upon reaching the bedroom, I swung the door open to find the room empty, but the soft scent of her body wash wafted out of the bathroom. I released a sigh of relief; she'd only been taking a shower.

"I'll be right out," her voice carried out to me and I shrugged out of my jacket.

"Sorry, I was gone for so long, baby. I tried to get back as soon as I could," I called back to her as I sat on the edge of the bed, removing my phone and keys from my pocket and setting them on my bedside table. "I thought maybe we could go out and grab something to eat, since it's not too late."

"Actually, I was kinda hoping we could stay in."

My head turned toward the bathroom door at the sound of her sultry voice from behind me and my jaw literally dropped as my eyes slowly moved over her body, mesmerized by the sight of her.

Bella began sauntering toward me slowly, and my gaze traveled back up her slender, shapely legs, until it met black satin with lace trim at mid-thigh. The sexy garment hugged beautifully around her hips and waist, as well as the flat planes of her stomach. The front dipped low, giving full view of the curves of her breasts, and leading up to her bare shoulders and long beautiful neck.

She leaned forward onto the bed and began crawling toward me seductively. When she finally reached me, her lips met mine with such passion that it took me aback slightly. Her arms slid around my waist, pulling her body against my back and moving her lips down along my neck.

"I missed you," she whispered against my skin as her fingers began unbuttoning my shirt. "I want _you_ right now, nothing else. Just touch me."

I turned toward her and my hand rose to weave into her hair, my lips claiming hers gently as I lowered us down to lay on the bed. Her soft scent flooded me and I felt her cool fingers trace along the skin of my chest and abdomen, our kiss deepening with each passing moment.

Bella gently pushed me onto my back and swung her leg over me to straddle my hips, laying her body atop mine and kissing along my jaw. My hands rested on her thighs and slid up to cup her ass to press her more firmly against me.

My heart was pounding with desire and our soft moans filled the room, but even with the sexy woman writhing above me, I wasn't becoming aroused. I wanted to—God knew I did. I guided her hips against me, attempting to stir a response, but my thoughts were still consuming me. I wanted to drown it all out and focus on spending the time with my beautiful girlfriend that we'd both waited three long months for. I'd _never_ had this problem before, especially with as much of a turn-on as Bella was for me.

After several minutes of the futile attempt, I growled in frustration and let my head fall back onto the pillow, causing her gaze to meet mine in obvious confusion. She sat up to look down at me and I rubbed my hands roughly over my face before driving them into my hair.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly, biting her lip. "You don't want to?"

The look of rejection in her eyes was heartbreaking and I brought my hands to cover hers where they rested on my stomach. "I want to, very much." I paused, clearing my throat and gently securing my hold around her fingers. I could almost feel the sweat beginning to bead on my forehead, and my eyes rose to stare at the ceiling, avoiding hers as I spoke. "I uh... I just can't… I'm not…"

Her gaze fell to our hands when I couldn't finish my statement, and watched as I gestured below my waist. Her lips parted and gasped slightly, her cheeks flushing a little as she moved her body off me. "Oh. I see."

An uncomfortable silence stretched between us as she sat on the bed beside me. I sat up and reached over to take her hand again, feeling her tense slightly under my touch. "Bella—"

"What's going on?" she interrupted, her gaze turning sharply toward me. "You've been distant for days and I can't reach you. You haven't wanted me sexually since you came out of that room with Emmett in Vegas. You went into work tonight, while you're supposed to be on vacation, without so much as a single thought about it. I don't understand. What did I do to make you shut me out like this?"

"You didn't do anything," I assured her, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze before she pulled her hand away abruptly. "I just have a lot on my mind, that's all."

"Then talk to me!" she exclaimed and slid off the bed, turning back to face me and waving her arms out. "I mean, that _is_ what two people who are supposed to be in a relationship do when there's a problem, isn't it? I'm your girlfriend, Edward. And I didn't come all this way to be treated like this. Call me selfish, but I actually wanted to spend this time with my boyfriend that I haven't seen in _months_."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to say, Bella," I groaned, falling back onto the bed and staring at the ceiling. "I don't know why I'm feeling this way, I just am."

"Well, what are you feeling, then?" she asked, her voice lowering as she knelt back down onto the bed. "Are you upset about Rose and Emmett?"

"No… and yes," I mumbled, shaking my head and then releasing a heavy sigh. "I mean, I'm happy for them, since Emmett is happier that I've seen him in a long time. And I've never seen that man _un_happy, so that's saying something. Rose is good for him, from what I can see."

"But…" she trailed off, and I glanced over to find her gazing at me expectantly.

I rose off the bed and her eyes followed me as one of my hands rested on my hip while the other pinched the bridge of my nose. "It only took one day and he knew. He had it all figured out and his entire life decided on, and she was moving here to be with him. I've known you for six months. We're in a relationship, for God's sake, and I'm still just as clueless and we're not even close to that point."

"Okay," she responded slowly, shifting onto her knees to face me more directly. "So, are you jealous of Emmett or something? I'm still not sure I understand. We're not them, we don't _have_ to have everything all figured out yet."

I drew in a deep breath and let my hand fall to my side, letting it out slowly before looking back to her. "You saw what happened tonight. That's my life, Bella. The hospital calls, and I _have_ to be there. No matter what I'm doing or what else is going on, that's just how it is. This is who I am."

"I know that, Edward. I knew that going in," Bella replied, shaking her head.

"So did every other woman I've dated," I stated pointedly, watching her eyes widen as she gazed at me. "And every single one of them eventually got tired of waiting for me. It just took some longer than others. What would happen if we were together for more than a visit every few months? If I kept having to leave you behind for my job? How long would it take, Bella?"

Bella's jaw tensed and tears began to well in her eyes, her fists clenching where they rested on her thighs. "So, you're saying that this is all you see for us? Only visiting each other every few months, because you think I'm going to get tired of _waiting_? All I've done every night for the last six months in LA is _wait_, and I've never gotten tired of it because you were worth it. _We_ were worth it. To me, at least."

I watched her eyes lower to her lap with her last statement and I felt the sting of her words, spoken in a voice entirely too calm. I knelt back on the bed in front of her and attempted to reach out and touch her face, but she turned her head away. "Bella, of course, we're worth it to me."

"But you still group me in with the rest of them. Like you don't think that I am any different." Bella inhaled deeply and looked to me again, her gaze locking with mine. "So you don't see me here with you? Are you ever going to want something more permanent with me than this? Living together, marriage, kids? _Anything_?"

I watched her tense in preparation for my response and then I closed my eyes. This was exactly why I had been dreading this conversation with her for days; no matter what I did or said, I would hurt her. If I lied, it would only delay and worsen the hurt for her. I couldn't avoid it and it was the one thing I never wanted to do. Drawing in a deep breath, I opened my eyes to look at her again. "I don't know."

Bella's chest collapsed as she released a heavy, shaky breath and she began practically gasping for air, a tear escaping down her cheek. "I can't believe this."

Once again, I tried to reach out for her, but she backed away and rose off the bed, standing beside it. "I'm not saying that I don't want you here with me. I just can't promise where that will lead."

"Then what are we doing?" Bella asked tearfully, waving her arms out and bringing her gaze back to mine. "I'm not saying that I'm in an all fired hurry to get married and start popping out babies. I'm only twenty-two, for crying out loud. I don't even have _my_ whole life figured out yet. But I'd at least like to know that the man I love sees some kind of a future with me that doesn't involve a damn computer."

Wiping away another tear, she turned away and walked back into the bathroom. I shifted slightly on the bed to rest against the headboard and thrust my head back into it in frustration. I was pushing away the best thing I had in my life and tearing her apart by telling her the truth.

_Maybe honesty __**isn't**_ _always the best policy_, I thought to myself a moment before I heard the bathroom door unlatch. I lifted my gaze to her to speak, but was silenced when I saw her. Bella emerged, wearing a black tank top and grey yoga pants, her hair pulled back away from her face in a loose ponytail. She walked toward the bed, but instead of climbing in, she grabbed one of the pillows.

"What are you doing?" I asked with a furrowed brow, sitting upright on the bed.

"If I continue this conversation right now, I could end up saying something I regret, and I don't want that," she replied simply but would not meet my eyes, and then shook her head. "But I can't stay in here with you tonight, either."

"Bella, don't," I sighed, my chest tightening at the sight of her reddened eyes and stood from the bed. "I'm sorry."

"I know, but that doesn't change anything," she replied, hugging the pillow to her chest.

"Then you take the bed and I'll go out to the living room," I said gently and she began shaking her head vehemently.

"No, I can't sleep in that bed right now, either way. It's too much, with or without you. Too intimate." Her voice shuddered slightly with her restrained tears, and she moved past me toward the door.

I wanted to stop her, to take her into my arms and tell her I didn't mean a single word I said. To turn back time, and go back to three days before when everything was absolutely perfect. To tell her I loved her. But before I could do or say anything, the bedroom door closed behind her and the emptiness of the room began caving in around me.

I listened to her cries and soft, indistinct mumblings in the next room for over an hour before I finally got up and walked out there.

Whether by conscious effort of not, she never acknowledged my presence in the room. She remained gazing out into the dark sky from her perch on the windowsill, with the blanket from the back of the couch wrapped around her shoulders. Her eyes seemed so distant, even in the dim light, as if drowning out everything running through her head.

However, for the moment, she wasn't crying. So I turned and left her to her thoughts. We could talk in the morning, when we'd both be calmer and able to discuss everything more rationally.

For hours, I tried to sleep, knowing I had the drive to Evanston and the visit with my parents the following afternoon, but the ache from missing Bella beside me was too strong. Her scent lingered everywhere around me; on the bed where she'd sat, on my towels in the bathroom, drifting up from her suitcase in the corner. Her words continued to ring in my ears throughout the night, driving me to distraction.

_So you don't see me here with you?_

_Then what are we doing?_

_I know, but that doesn't change anything._

_It's too much, with or without you._

The idea of losing her completely was filling me with a dread I'd never felt before. If anything, I didn't think it would be something like _that_ situation that would come between us.

When I finally fell asleep out of sheer exhaustion, the image of her walking away from me filled my nightmares and I woke up in a cold sweat, my entire body shaking. I needed to fix this, talk to her and make her realize how much I loved and needed her.

After a brief glance out into the living room to find her still asleep on the couch, I took a quick shower to rid my mind of the disturbing images from the night before and clear my head. When I came back out a few minutes later, Bella was just sitting up and brushing loose tendrils of hair away from her face, revealing her still reddened eyes.

_She hasn't been asleep for very long, from the looks of it._

"Morning," I said quietly, trying not to startle her.

Her eyes met mine for a brief moment and then lowered again, before mumbling a soft "morning" in return.

Just as I was about to speak again, she rose and made her way into the bathroom. Releasing a heavy sigh, I began making a pot of coffee while I waited for her. But every moment that passed with that door still closed was evoking the anxiety I'd been trying to suppress all night.

The pot was nearly done brewing and I was pouring a cup for both of us when I heard her come out and I turned my gaze to her. She was walking toward me with her eyes lowered, and slid into the chair at the table with her leg folded beneath her.

"Thank you," she whispered as I set the cup in front of her and she wrapped her hands around it. She made no motion for the sugar or to take a drink, but simply kept her gaze on the dark liquid inside while tracing her fingertips along the rim. "I need to go home, Edward."

My heart stopped along with my breath, fear stricken into it with her statement. "Bella, no—"

"I can't stay here like this," she stopped me, finally bringing her gaze up to meet mine again, her eyes brimming with fresh tears. "And I don't see the point in meeting your family if you're not even sure we have any kind of real future together."

I knelt down beside her, resting my hand on her arm and was surprised when she didn't flinch away. "Please, you don't have to go home. I can call my mother and tell her that something came up and we can't make it. Just please, don't leave."

"I've already switched my ticket," she said flatly and rose from the table, pulling her arm from beneath my hand. "My flight leaves in a few hours. I need some space to think, Edward."

I remained frozen on the floor, gripping the table and the back of the chair to keep from falling over completely. My worst fears were coming to fruition, and there was no way to stop the spiral my world was now caught in.

**x-x-x**

I pulled up in front of the airport and looked over to Bella. She hadn't spoken or even glanced in my direction since she told me she was leaving, and that moment was no exception. That was, until I reached for my door handle.

"No, Edward. I'm going alone," she said as she opened the door and stepped out, walking around to the back of the car.

After popping the trunk, I got out anyway and made my way over to help her. She stepped back, hoisting her carry-on over her shoulder. "Bella, don't go. Stay and we can talk, please. I love you."

"No. Just no," she stated firmly, shaking her head. "Telling me you love me doesn't fix anything, and right now, neither will talking. Just let me go."

As she walked toward the doors, I leaned back against my car, clutching my hair with my hands at the back of my neck. The world seemed to be moving in slow motion around me, torturing me with the sound of every step she took away from me, until they stopped completely.

"This isn't goodbye, Edward," her voice called out softly to me and I opened my eyes to see her standing a few feet away from me. "I'm only asking for some time to think about my future, and maybe you should do the same. I'll call you."

_Her _future, _my_ future... not _ours_. My head fell back and I drew in a deep breath, collecting myself for a moment before the sound of a blaring car horn assaulted my ears. My gaze shifted to the car behind mine, to a large man behind the wheel waving his arms out and mouthing 'what the fuck?'. "Alright, I'm moving!" I shouted out to him, slamming my trunk closed and making my way around the car to slide back in.

Shifting the car into gear and pulling away from the curb, I felt my breaths coming in rapid succession as I leaned back against the headrest. I knew I couldn't go back to the apartment; in fact, I needed to get as far away from it as I possibly could. There was too much of Bella still there for me to think clearly.

I grabbed my phone from my pocket and hit speed dial two, anxiously waiting for the answering voice. "Hi, Mom. I'm heading up there now, if that's alright with you." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she voiced her response. "No. I'm coming alone."

**x-x-x**

Throughout the day, as I visited with my parents, I tried to avoid the topic of Bella as much as possible. Yet, I felt my mother's eyes on me when my phone buzzed as we sat at an early dinner, and I hurriedly reached into my pocket for it.

_I'm home. Ttyl._

I excused myself from the table and walked into the next room, taking a deep breath to compose myself at the impersonal feel to her text. She'd only been gone for a matter of hours, and I already missed her as much as if she'd been gone for years.

_Can I call you?_ I texted back, wanting nothing more in that moment than to hear her voice, even if only for a second.

_I'm tired_, was the only response I received a minute later and I rubbed my eyes with my fingertips. I'd really fucked up.

An hour later, I was sitting out on the closed-in porch, staring out aimlessly into my parents' back yard, and my mother joined me with two mugs in her hands. "Okay, so tell me again. What happened?"

"I told you. Something just came up and she had to go back to LA," I replied, shrugging my shoulders and taking the heated cup of tea from her hand.

"And you think that just because you haven't lived under my roof in ten years, I don't know when my son is lying through his beautiful, capped teeth?" she asked with a smirk and I rolled my eyes as I took a sip. "Edward, you're as transparent as that window pane over there. What's _really_ going on?"

Suddenly, I felt as if I were eight years old again. My mother had always seen through every antic I'd tried to pull, every emotion I'd tried to mask. I was considered a mama's boy by my peers as I grew up, since she always knew where I was and what I was doing, when I was in trouble or hurt—whether I'd told her or not.

I sighed heavily and set the cup on the table in front of us, resting my elbows on my knees. "What else, Mom? I messed everything up again. She says it's not goodbye, but it sure as hell feels that way."

I felt my mother's hand on my arm as I held onto my head, tugging at my hair. "You were fine the other day when I talked to you. What changed?"

"Emmett got married in Vegas," I replied, sitting up and staring outside. "And I froze. I pushed away the most amazing part of my life, all because of my own personal _bullshit_."

"Edward," my mother scolded and I glanced over to her, mumbling an apology. Even at twenty-eight, she still didn't approve of me swearing in her home. "Is it about Tanya?"

I stood and walked to the window, leaning my shoulder against it and began shaking my head. "I couldn't stand it if I lost her that way. Bella is just so... she's..."

"Not Tanya," my mother finished for me and my gaze shot over to her, and she rose to join me at the window. "And you're very much in love with her."

Pain shot through my heart like a dagger and I nodded, folding my arms over my chest. "And it scares me to death. What would happen if she came out here and realized, as Tanya did, that it was too much? If I can't sustain a relationship, how am I supposed to believe I can manage a marriage, or children?"

"You told her you didn't want to get married?" she asked, raising her eyebrows and I shrugged, lowering my eyes. "What did she say about the situation with Tanya?"

I inhaled deeply and shook my head, shifting uncomfortably at the mention of it. "I, uh... I didn't tell her."

"Remember how much I love you, okay?" she sighed and I looked to her with a furrowed brow, just as she smacked me on the side of the head. "You know, for all your fancy, expensive degrees, you don't have much in the way of common sense."

"Um... thanks?" I replied sarcastically in confusion.

"So, you just told her that you didn't want to get married, and left it at that?" she asked with her hands on her hips.

"That's not _exactly_ what happened, Mom," I stated, shaking my head. She lifted one eyebrow and made her way back to her chair, crossing her legs and looking at me expectantly. I gave her a brief summary of my conversation with Bella, until the moment she told me she was leaving. "I tried to tell her that we didn't need to come up here, but then she seemed even more determined to leave."

"Of course, she was," my mother said simply and I looked over to see her shrugging, and then she ran her hand over her forehead. "Oh, Edward. You really don't see what you've done, do you?"

"Obviously I do, since I'm standing here by myself, instead of introducing my girlfriend to you."

"Don't get smart with me," my mother retorted, pointing at me meaningfully. "Honey, don't you understand? She's a _woman_. Everything you say, she is going to take to heart. You didn't just tell her that you weren't sure that you wanted to get married, but that you weren't sure you wanted to get married to _her_. And by telling her that you didn't need to come up here with her, you showed that her meeting your family wasn't all that important to you."

"It was my idea in the first place," I groaned, waving my arms out in exasperation. "I suggested it."

"She's young, and she's heartbroken, Edward. She's not going to think logically. All she sees is that the man she loves pushed her away and then rejected her. It's all part of being young and in the midst of your first real love," my mother sighed, leaning back further in her chair. "Fortunately, I was a bit older when I met your father, or else you might never have been born. You're not the _only _man in this family who doesn't realize when he has his foot in his mouth, all the way up to his thigh. But haven't you ever thought of the fact that Bella would probably be the most perfect woman in the world for you?"

"Of course, I have, Mom. Many times. I love her, she's beautiful and smart…"

"No, no. More than that. You said she was studying to be an architect, right?" I nodded slowly, unsure of where she was going with it. "Take it from the daughter of an architect. Your grandfather was constantly surrounded by his work. Perfecting plans, missing family dinners for a phone call with a colleague or a client. Their minds never stop running. She would probably be putting in just as many hours as you do at the hospital, not sitting around idly, waiting for you to come home. "

I sighed heavily and leaned my forehead on my arm as it rested on the window, my eyes closing as I internally cursed myself. Bella had always been different from the moment I met her, and now, it was glaringly obvious why.

Our lives complimented each other. Our schedules were just as busy as the other's, we simply made the time for one another within them. There'd been nights when both of us were late coming home from work or school, having become caught up in our own worlds. On more than one occasion, I'd caught glimpses of her kitchen table in the background, covered in papers and sketches. And that was after having called her to make sure she was alright, only to discover that she'd been engrossed in a project and lost track of time. My mother was right; Bella would never be one to simply sit around and wait for me to come home from work. She'd already shown that she had a mind and a life of her own, outside of me.

Why hadn't I thought of this before?

"God, I'm such an idiot," I groaned, leaning back against the window frame and clenching my jaw tightly.

"You won't find me arguing that point," my mother replied and I narrowed my eyes slightly. "I won't sugarcoat things for you, Edward. You know this. But are you going to _keep_ being an idiot and just let this woman go, or are you going to man up and do something about it?"

Without waiting for a response, my mother rose and kissed me on the cheek before going back into the house. My gaze returned back out the window where the sun was just beginning to set, causing millions of glittering specks to sparkle along the surface of the pond in the back yard. Grabbing my jacket, I stepped outside, feeling the crisp evening air striking my face as I began walking along the edge of the water with my hands buried in my pockets. My mind ran over and over every moment in the six months that I'd spent with Bella.

Her laugh and her blush, her fiery spunk that completely contrasted her times of extreme shyness.

The moment I finally held her in my arms and kissed her for the very first time, how time just seemed to stop in that instant and everything in my world was perfect. Each and every time we made love, regardless of how urgent or gentle it was. There was not a single moment with her that I would change—with the exception of what I'd just done.

Standing in the middle of the small footbridge over the pond, I leaned forward onto the railing and stared down at my phone. Her last text still displayed on the screen, yet at that moment, it struck a new feeling within me. That was exactly how she'd felt for days, when I'd pushed her away without reason, causing her to feel lonely, even in my presence. The only difference was... there _was_ a reason for the pain and loneliness I was feeling— and that reason was _me_. She'd had more than sufficient cause to push me away for days, and still, she tried so hard to pull me back. And because of my stupidity, she was gone and I had no idea how I was going to even begin to get her back.

_Bella, I know I've been a colossal jerk and don't deserve it, but please let me talk to you tomorrow. Sleep well. _

After hitting send, I slid the phone into my back pocket and resumed gazing out over the water. I hoped beyond hope that she would speak to me the next day, allow me the chance to explain and ask her forgiveness for what I'd done. And prayed that there was still a chance for us, that we could work through it.

Beyond everything that my mother and I had discussed, experiencing life without Bella in it, even if only for the matter of a day, was excruciating. And each passing minute without a response from her brought back the dread that I had pushed her too far. What if it really was over? That once she thought about her future, she didn't see me in it just as I was realizing that I couldn't imagine mine _without_ her.

I lay in my bed in my old room that night, staring up at the ceiling until fatigue finally claimed me in the silent surroundings. For once, it was a dreamless sleep, for which I was grateful. Neither good or bad dreams would have been welcome, considering where my thoughts had been just before falling asleep. _Bella_.

I woke to the sound of my phone vibrating and glanced over to the clock to see that it was already nearly eleven. I reached for the phone hurriedly, hoping that it would be Bella and was dismayed to find that it was only Emmett. Surely, Bella would have called Rose by then, and he'd be calling to hand my ass to me–definitely not something I was prepared for that soon after waking up.

No sooner had I gotten downstairs and poured myself a coffee, than my phone began to buzz again with an incoming text.

_Dude, you need to call me _

"Well, good morning, sunshine," my mother greeted me as she entered the kitchen, gently rubbing my shoulder as she passed. "Getting started already?"

My brow tightened as I looked over to her and she gestured to my phone, and I shook my head as I turned the ringer on. "Oh, no. I haven't heard from her, yet. It's just Emmett, ready to verbally pummel me, I'm sure. He's very fond of Bella, and married to her best friend."

"_Oh_," she replied with widened eyes and a nod. "Yes, there's no safe haven there for you."

"Nope." Just as I answered, another text came through, and I sighed heavily.

_Where the fuck are you? Call me, it's important_

_Yup, he sounds pissed_, I thought to myself as I set my phone down on the counter and took my first sip of coffee as I leaned back against the counter.

"You're going to have to answer that sooner or later, you know," my mother said, tapping her finger on the screen.

I shook my head, ignoring the continued buzzing of the phone. "Not until I talk to Bella."

For the next hour, my phone did not cease to vibrate or sound that obnoxious rap ringtone that Emmett had loaded onto it a month before when I wasn't looking. I was just setting my empty cup into the sink when the generic tone began ringing, and I made my way over to the counter to find it illuminated with a California number. Without another thought, I reached for the phone and answered it. "Bella?"

"See! I told you he wasn't answering because it was you!" I heard Rose's voice screeching at Emmett on the other end, before turning her attention back to me. "Look, I don't want to know what the hell happened, why you're not answering your phone, or why the hell Bella is in LA instead of there with you, _as she should be_. We can deal with that later, but right now, you need to get your ass to California."

Feeling the instant tightening of my chest and stomach at her tone, I suddenly knew something wasn't right. "Rose—"

"Bella's hurt, Edward," she interrupted me sharply and my eyes shot up as my body froze. "She's in the hospital."


	21. Past Demons

**Late Night Encounters 19 ~ Past Demons**

I felt sick. My stomach dropped out and I couldn't breathe, my heart stilled and I could almost feel the blood drain from my face. My mother's concerned voice sounded garbled and distant, even though she was standing right beside me and I could feel her hand on my face. Rose kept calling out my name, but my response froze in my throat.

Bella was hurt… in a hospital… thousands of miles away. When she was supposed to be there in Chicago, safe with me… until I recklessly destroyed everything.

"Doc, come on. Snap out of it!" Emmett yelled through the phone and my vision came back into focus.

"Emmett, what the hell happened?" I asked urgently, finally locating my voice again. "Is she alright? Is it serious?

"Don't know much, yet. Rose just got the call from the hospital maybe two hours ago, since she was on Bella's emergency contact list. We're on our way to LA now," Emmett replied, attempting to keep a calm tone as he explained, but I could hear the hint of irritation beneath, something very foreign to my ears. "She's not talking, won't tell anyone what happened. All they know is what they got from the neighbors who called the ambulance, and that's not a hell of a lot, either. She just keeps asking for you."

Guilt rushed through me even more powerfully than before. After everything that had transpired between us in the days prior, I would have thought I'd be the _last_ person she'd want or need. I should have been on the first flight I could catch to LA the night before, whether she'd have wanted me there or not. Even if she refused to see or talk to me, I'd have been there by then; maybe even prevented any of it from happening at all. "I'm on my way to the airport now. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Edward, what the fuck happened?" he asked in a low, rough tone, almost a growl. "Why isn't she there with you?"

_Apparently, Bella hadn't spoken to Rose at all about this._

"It's not the time. I gotta go," I replied distractedly, my mind only wanting to focus on getting to Bella.

"Call me as soon as you know when you're landing. We'll be in LA in a few hours, and heading straight for the hospital."

"Will do," I answered abruptly and ended the call, turning toward my mother, who was gazing at me in concern. "Bella's in the hospital in California, I have to go. Tell Dad I said bye."

After giving her a brief kiss on the cheek, I rushed to the door and grabbed my jacket, practically running down the front steps of the house toward my car. My heart was hammering against the walls of my chest and my breaths were coming so rapidly, I began to feel a little lightheaded – but _nothing_ would keep me from getting to Bella. I began running on autopilot, all the way back to Chicago until I was standing at the terminal gate at O'Hare, waiting for the first flight to LA I could purchase, which was still an hour away.

_Please, God, let her be all right. Even if it means she hates me forever, just please let her be okay,_ I chanted repeatedly in my head as I paced the floor, much to the annoyance of my fellow passengers seated around me. But I could care less; I needed to be with her.

On more than one occasion throughout the four-hour flight, the attendant asked if I was sure I didn't want a drink. My fists clenched tightly at my knees and my leg was bouncing rapidly with the level of anxiety I was feeling, and in most cases, I would have said yes. However, each time she asked, I declined, wanting a clear head when I saw Bella again.

But more than that, I knew I didn't deserve even the minute release from the anguish I was feeling that I knew just one drink would supply me. I was the reason that Bella was in the situation she was, lying in a hospital bed, alone.

She was the best thing that ever happened to me, the one woman in this world who understood and had patience with me, and I let my own past and hang-ups take over and destroy everything. My mother was absolutely correct – she wasn't Tanya. That was one of the most appealing things about her from the very beginning.

I loved Bella with everything in me, and I'd never felt anything even close for Tanya. So why was I allowing just the memory of her to destroy everything I had with Bella.

_Because you're an idiot and a coward, Cullen. Even your own mother verified that. _

When we finally taxied into LAX, I wasted no time in hurrying off the plane and through the terminal in search of Emmett. I finally spotted him just outside the doors, earning several disgruntled remarks as I pushed past the group of travelers in front of me, desperate to make my way through to him.

"Emmett!" I yelled out as soon as I stepped outside and he turned to me, waving his arms out with an exasperated sigh. Hundreds of questions ran through my mind, but what mattered most was that she was okay, both physically and emotionally. She _had_ to be all right. "How is she? Have you seen her?"

Emmett shook his head as he began leading me out toward the garage where he'd parked. "No, Rose had just gone in with Bella's dad right before I left to come get you. And would you mind giving me one good reason why I shouldn't beat your sorry ass this minute?"

Even as the question left him, I could see the barely restrained anger as his hand closed into a fist. After watching Emmett with Bella in Vegas, and with as quickly as she'd captured my heart as well, it shouldn't have surprised me that she would have his loyalty after only meeting her once.

"You'll have ample opportunity to do so later. Just please, let me see her first," I replied with a groan as I lowered into Rose's car.

"So, you _are_ the reason she's back in LA. Son of a _bitch_," Emmett growled under his breath and started the car, shaking his head as he pulled out of the parking space. "What the fuck happened to my friend who was head over heels, crazy in love with this girl not even a week ago?"

"I made some mistakes, Emmett. Can we please just leave it at that?" I sighed, closing my eyes and pressing my fingertips to my temples.

"Well, you better fucking fix it, and fast. I've never seen you like that with anyone, even Tanya."

"Why does everything always come back to Tanya?" I snapped, even the sound of her name causing my frustration level to rise.

"Because you fucking lived with her, dude," Emmett replied, looking over at me briefly. "And whether you want to acknowledge it or not, what she did—"

"Is completely irrelevant right now. I need to see Bella," I interrupted him in a flat tone, my gaze remaining out the side window of the car as his foot pressed on the accelerator.

When we pulled up to the hospital, we found Rose pacing outside, brushing her fingers over her cheek. Panic settled in again and my body went rigid as I saw tears streaming down her face. I quickly stepped out of the car before it had even come to a full stop and began walking toward her.

Rose's eyes caught mine and her jaw clenched, storming toward me and smacking me hard across the jaw. "You fucking asshole! How could you let her come back here?"

"Rose. Baby, this isn't going to help anyone. Least of all, Bella," Emmett said calmly, rushing forward and taking her into his arms. He pressed his lips to her temple, but never took his eyes off me. "How is she?"

She sniffled as her head lifted from his chest, shaking it slowly as her glare returned to me. "She's banged up pretty bad. Broken wrist, cracked rib, bruises everywhere. She's got a pretty nasty lump on the back of her head from where she hit the pavement, but fortunately, no concussion. She still won't tell anyone exactly what happened, though, just keeps asking for _him_. Freaks out when anyone else tries to come near her, so they've had to sedate her."

My cheek stung from the impact of Rose's hand, but every other part of me remained numb as her statement settled in on me. Bella was in there somewhere, hurt and asking for me, and a new urgency took over me. "Rose, I _have_ to see her."

Tears streaked down Rose's cheek as she gazed at me, her arm slowly dropping from around Emmett and she stepped closer to me, shaking her head. "I hope to God, for _her_ sake, that whatever's crawled up your ass for the last few days extracts itself very soon. She deserves the man I met in Vegas on Friday, not this cold, emotionless _bastard_ that's taken his place. Come on."

If I had appeared as Rose had just described, I couldn't imagine the pain it had to have caused someone who loved me as thoroughly as Bella had.

She turned suddenly on her heel and began walking toward the front doors of the hospital. After a brief glance at Emmett, I quickly followed her inside to the elevator. She remained stiff beside me with her arms folded over her chest, silent until we reached the fourth floor and she immediately called out to a man named Charlie.

Even if Bella had never mentioned his name to me in the past, there was no doubting when the man turned around that I was standing face to face with her father. She resembled him in countless ways, but most especially, the unique shade of his eyes. His posture stiffened as his gaze landed on me and I prepared myself for the wrath of this man, as he stared in the face of the reason for his daughter's hospitalization.

However, he only gazed over at Rose wordlessly. "Charlie, _this_ is Edward."

His eyes returned to me sharply and he stepped closer, his features etched with pain. "I don't know who you are or what my little girl has to say to you," he said, his voice breaking twice as he spoke. His voice, the gravely tone added another notch to my anxiety. "But please, just get her to tell us what happened."

My gaze met Rose's and she shook her head before stepping toward Charlie, taking his arm and leading him back to the chair he had previously occupied. "I'll take him in to see her."

I watched her gently rub the back of his hand and he nodded, looking down into his lap. With all the stories that Bella had told me about her father, the broken man in front of me had been the last thing I had expected. Which only made me more fearful of Bella's actual condition.

Rose stood upright again and took my elbow, guiding me quickly down the hall without looking at me. "He doesn't know anything. It's not my place to tell him and should be saved for a later time, regardless."

"Rose," I strained out as I stopped, gently grabbing her wrist and she halted her steps. "Is she really that bad?"

She took a deep breath before turning to face me, her voice far calmer than I'd expected. "It looks a lot worse than it is, so far. But you have to understand, Bella is her father's baby, his entire world. He's always guarded her with his life, and seeing her like that sent his blood pressure skyrocketing. And we still won't have any real answers until Bella can tell us what happened."

I released her arm and rubbed my hands roughly over my face. I heard Rose's steps resume on the linoleum before coming to a stop a short distance away. My stomach tightened as I looked back up to find her nodding her head toward the door beside her. Drawing in a deep breath, I began moving toward her, my feet feeling like lead weights as my heart pounded painfully in my chest until I reached the door.

As I grabbed the handle, Rose gripped my arm tightly before I could open it. "Whatever you do, _don't_ upset her. Or you'll find yourself becoming a patient here as well."

I nodded silently and she released her hold on me, and I slowly entered the room. My eyes landed on Bella and my hand rose to my mouth as I took in the sight of her. _Oh, my beautiful Bella._

She lay motionless on the bed, her braced wrist resting limply at her side and her eyes staring aimlessly out the window. Bruises marred her beautiful face and her bottom lip swelled around the corner where it split. I looked up to the monitor beside her bed, watching and listening to the rhythmic beating of her heart. I felt helpless—there was nothing else I could do. All my years of medical training and experience, and there wasn't a damn bit of difference I could make. I was out of my element in the most familiar of environments, except for the occupant of that bed—and it was my fault she was there.

As I hesitantly began making my way toward the bed, her head lolled to the side to look at me.

"Edward," she spoke in barely above a whisper and I lowered myself into the chair beside her bed. Her voice was weak and she winced slightly as she attempted to move. "What are you doing here?"

I slid to the edge of my seat and rested my hand on her arm, shaking my head. "Just rest, Bella. Rose called and told me what was going on. How are you feeling?"

Bella closed her eyes and a tear trickled down her cheek. My fingers instinctively rose to wipe it away, but I stopped a few inches from her face, almost afraid to touch her. She surprised me when she slowly turned her head toward my hand and opened her eyes to look at me. "I should hate you right now."

I sighed and nodded, my gaze lowering to the floor. "I know."

"But I can't," she whispered and I looked up quickly when I felt her fingers rest gently on my hand, holding it lightly against her cheek. My eyes met hers to find more tears welling there and her lip trembling slightly. "I was so scared, Edward. So damn scared. They want me to talk, and I just can't. I'm not ready, I just..."

Her body began shaking with soft sobs and I stood to press my lips gently to her forehead. I pinched my eyes closed as her hand tightened around mine; it was as if I could feel her fear and pain through her touch. "Shh, just relax. No one's going to make you until you're ready. It's okay."

"I thought I was never going to see you again," she cried softly and I rested my forehead against hers.

"I'm here, Bella," I whispered, running my thumb along her cheek.

She gradually began to relax and her breathing slowed, her fingertips tracing along the back of my hand. "Why did you come?"

I lifted my head to gaze down at her and she looked up at me hesitantly. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because things aren't right between us," she stated plainly, sadness returning to her eyes. "And I don't know if and when they ever will be."

I sat down on the edge of her bed, taking her hand into mine. "Bella, no matter what happens between us, I still love you. I'm always going to care and be here if you ever need me."

Her gaze held mine for a moment, skepticism heavy in her eyes. "I needed you yesterday. And the day before that... hell, all weekend," she replied as more tears began to form and my eyes fell again to watch the path of my thumb along the back of her hand. "And I need you now. But only if you _want_ to be here with me."

I looked up to her again and the same heartbreaking expression had fallen over her features as that night in Chicago. Lifting her hand to my lips, I brushed a gentle kiss on the backs of her fingers and she squeezed my hand gently. "I don't want to be anywhere but here with you."

Bella released a slow, shaky breath and closed her eyes, her head falling to the side against the pillow. "I'm so tired, Edward."

"Get some rest. We can talk more later, when you're feeling up to it." I moved to stand and she gripped my arm, wincing again from the sudden movement. "I'm not leaving, I promise."

Her hold loosened on me and I sat beside her bed again. As she drifted off to sleep, I lightly caressed her hand with my fingertips, brushing occasional kisses over her knuckles as I eyes took her in more thoroughly.

Even without knowing exactly what had happened to her, I knew from all too much experience in the ER that injuries like that didn't come from a simple fall. Someone had hurt her, and it was entirely my fault for not being completely open with her. For not fighting harder to keep her from getting on that plane. For stupidly listening to that voice in the back of my mind to give her space. None of it would have happened if I'd hopped on a plane the night before and gone to LA to beg her forgiveness. Even in the worst of her anger, she would still be safe.

Bella's rest was fitful for hours, the strain in her brow increasing by the second until her eyes shot open with a yelp. Her fingers twitched in my hand until her gaze shot to mine, her breaths heavy, despite the pain it was causing her.

"Lights. Turn on the lights," she gasped frantically, and it was only then that I'd realized that it had become dark as night fell. "Please...oh God, please turn on the lights. T-too dark."

I rose to flip the switch above her bed and lowered to sit beside her hip. Tears streamed down her face as her eyes searched the room. "Just breathe, Bella. Look at me."

Her gaze met mine sharply and I felt her grip on my arm, pulling me closer to her until my forehead rested against hers. She took a deep shuddering breath, her gasps softening only minutely. "He didn't touch me, I swear. He tried... he tried... but he didn't... please, believe me..."

Her fingers dragged roughly along my cheek, her desperate, pleading tone both tearing at my heart and sending relief through me all at once. The bruises would heal, the bones would mend—something like that would have scarred her for the rest of her life. But the guilt in her eyes was more than I could take... so afraid. "Baby, it's okay. It's over."

"No, it's not," she whispered shakily, closing her eyes for a brief moment before looking up to me again. "I'm ready. I want this done, and I want to go home."

"You're sure about that? No one is rushing you, Bella," I replied, brushing her hair back from her face.

"I need to get out of here, and I want this over with and behind me. Please, just go get them," she said between clenched teeth, her breaths coming more quickly.

"All right. I'll go tell them," I reassured her softly, kissing her forehead.

"Edward?" she murmured before I could pull away and I looked down at her nervous gaze. "Stay with me? I can't do this alone."

Brushing my lips against her wrist, I nodded. "I'll be right here. I promise."

Bella relaxed back into the bed as I moved away and walked out of the room, meeting her father and Rose just outside the door. Their questioning gazes bore into me as they waited for me to speak, and I swallowed hard when I met their eyes, knowing what the following words would mean. "She says she's ready."

**x-x-x**

Just as dawn broke, the police arrived again to talk to Bella. I sat and listened to her recount every excruciating detail that she could remember of her attack, and the time leading up to it. With every word and tear, my heart broke for her, and even more so when I felt her hand tightening around mine.

Bella had woken early the morning before and decided to go out for a walk to clear her head. She was still upset about the events in Chicago, while never divulging to them the personal details of it beyond that we had an argument. She was a block away from her apartment building when someone grabbed her from behind and pulled her into a dark alley.

Her cries increased when they asked her to describe her attacker and she shook her head, her hand tightening on mine. "I don't know. Whenever I tried to look at him, he'd hit me. He had dark hair… denim jacket… smelled like cigarettes and some kind of alcohol. Deep voice. Very deep voice. Said he was going to kill me if I didn't stop screaming. But I couldn't. Everything hurt so bad. I can't remember anything else, I swear."

I sat beside her on the bed and slid my arm around her shoulders, trying to remain strong for her as her face rested against my chest with painful sobs consuming her again.

"I think we're done here. Mr. Cullen? A word?" one of the officers spoke to me, his gaze serious as he nodded toward the door.

Bella looked up at me abruptly and shook her head, her eyes wide as she held onto my arm with her good hand. "No."

"I'll be _right_ back," I whispered against her hair and she secured her hold. "I'll send Rose or your dad in, but I'll be back before you know it."

I stood and followed the officers out of the room, where an unfamiliar voice and face met me.

"Whoa, who's this?" the petite woman froze as she gazed at me when I stepped out the door, then looked between Rose and Bella's father. "_What_ is going on here? Bella's in the hospital, Rose is married, and now, strange men are stepping out of Bella's room?"

"It's Bella's boyfriend, Edward. Which you would know if you bothered answering your phone or responding to voicemails, or I don't know, letting us know that you're even _alive_ over the last few months," Rose seethed bitterly, her glare cutting into the small woman, who I could only deduct was the infamous Alice.

"Ladies," Charlie spoke up, placing a hand on each of their shoulders and shook his head. "It's not the time or place for this."

"Can someone go in and sit with Bella for a few minutes? She really doesn't want to be alone," I said, looking between them all.

"I'll go. The last thing she needs is to be upset _more_," Rose replied, backing toward Emmett and taking his hand while never taking her eyes off Alice.

As they disappeared into Bella's room, the young woman turned to me with a sad gaze and offered me a weak smile. "I'm Alice. I came as soon as I could. I was in Texas. What's going on with Bella?"

"Edward," I replied with a brief nod and then turned my attention back to the officers.

They exchanged a glace, drawing in deep breaths before leading us all down the hall to the vacant waiting room, where one of them hesitantly began to speak.

"I wish we could say that we believed that this was an isolated incident, but we don't think that's the case. We've been seeing an increasing number of these attacks in the past few weeks, although this is the first one that's happened off campus, that we know of. Just this last week, we've had three reports of attacks strikingly similar to Miss Swan's," the officer explained, pausing as he sat down across from us and leaned forward on his elbows. "We believe it would be in her best interest if she did not go back to her apartment for a while. From what we've been able to conclude, the perpetrator doesn't give up after a failed attack. He returns to the scene, and now two of those three girls have become homicides."

Charlie's face blanched as his hands gripped the arms of the chair in which he sat, vehemently shaking his head until he finally stood. "No. She's coming home _now_. She should have never come here in the first place. She belongs in Washington with me, and her mother. And where were you?"

His sudden shift in attention to me took me off-guard, and I stared at him blankly. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You're the big new boyfriend that she's never mentioned to me, her mother, or one of her closest friends," he began, gesturing to Alice, whose eyes lowered as he spoke. "She wouldn't talk to anyone until you got here. Where the hell were you when all this was going on?"

I took a deep breath and swallowed hard, unprepared for the sudden interrogation. "I was home in Chicago, sir."

"I beg your pardon?" Charlie replied, his brow rising and his eyes widening.

I took a deep breath and ran my hand through my hair until the officer began to speak again. "I hate to interrupt, but she _will_ be discharged soon so arrangements will need to be made fairly quickly."

"She'll be on a flight this afternoon," Charlie said abruptly, grabbing his phone out of his pocket and storming out of the room, mumbling under his breath the whole way out.

**x-x-x**

Bella was not entirely thrilled by the prospect of going back to Washington, nor did Emmett feel comfortable with his wife remaining in dorm housing after the information we'd acquired. He remained in LA with her while I accompanied Bella to Seattle, much to the discontent of her father. His eyes never left me as he sat across the aisle with her, positioned between us and blocking my view of her.

When we arrived at the Swan residence, I remained in the front room while Charlie carried Bella upstairs to her bedroom. The soft, indiscernible mumblings from above caused me to fidget, until the light-haired woman who'd greeted us upon our arrival, came back down the stairs and walked toward me. "You must be the Edward I'm hearing so much about," she said with a small smile, her eyes gesturing toward the ceiling in the direction of the voices. "I'm Bella's mother, Renee. You'll need to forgive my husband. I don't think she's ever grown past ten years old in his eyes."

Her hand gently rested on my arm for a moment before moving past me, gesturing for me to follow her into the kitchen. As I passed through the doorway, I found her already flitting about the room, setting mugs on the table. "It's a shame we haven't met you before this. You know Bella. Always so busy."

Although attempting to keep her voice light, the hint of tears was evident in her eyes as she poured the boiling water from the kettle into the mugs. Voices began to rise above us and we both looked up, unable to make out what was being said, but Bella's gradually got louder.

"She hates Forks, you know. That's why she went. This place was too small for her," Renee said, giving me a sad smile and shaking her head. "She's always been too much like me in that way, I guess. But I have Charlie here, something to stay for. I didn't want the same thing for her, her dreams were too big to ever be happy here. So I encouraged her to go, and now, look what's happened."

Her hand rose to cover her mouth as she lowered into the chair, suppressing the sob that was threatening to escape. I was speechless; I didn't know what to say, as I so rarely did to a crying woman. So I uttered the first thing that came to mind. "I'm sure Bella would have gone anyway. She's pretty determined like that."

Renee's eyes met mine and she released a sad laugh as tears spilled down her cheeks. "Yes, she really is, isn't she?"

Charlie appeared in the doorway and our gazes moved over to him. His entire body was tense as he finally looked at me, folding his arms over his chest. "She's asking for you."

I inhaled deeply as I stood and approached the doorway, her father holding his position there and preventing me from passing.

"You and I are gonna talk later," he said seriously, his eyes boring into mine until he finally stepped aside to let me through.

I made my way up the stairs to the open bedroom door, revealing Bella propped up with pillows on her bed and tears trailing down her cheeks. "Not exactly the way I envisioned you meeting my father."

Her voice caught me by surprise, as she never looked up. I slowly walked across the room and stood beside her bed, her eyes finally rising and motioning for me to sit down. "Yeah, I guess it could have definitely been under better circumstances."

"In more ways than one," she mumbled as I lowered to sit at her feet, my gaze remaining on the floor. "Why did you _really_ come, Edward? Why did it take this?"

I sighed heavily and shook my head before looking over to her. "I didn't ever want you to leave. But you needed to think and you wanted space."

"I wanted _you_," she replied and her tear-filled eyes rose to meet mine. "But that wasn't enough. You didn't want anything more than what we already had. And Rose was right. It may work for now, with me in school and your job. But how long can that be enough?"

I leaned forward with my elbows on my knees, pressing my fingers to my lips. "I'm scared, Bella. Everything has been so amazing and perfect with you. I didn't want to lose that, or you. "

Bella was quiet for several moments and then I felt the mattress beneath me move. I glanced over to her quickly to find her shifting to sit up more and I moved to help her, but she shook her head and braced her ribs with her arm. She exhaled slowly as she rested back against the pillow, with soft grunts as the pain began to ebb slightly. "I don't see how being _closer_ would ruin anything. Isn't that the normal progression of a relationship between two people who love each other?"

"I don't know," I replied, shaking my head. "I've told you about my past luck with relationships, Bella—"

"But that was _them_, Edward. Not me," she cut me off with her teeth clenched.

"It was also me. More so than them," I replied, dragging my sweaty palms along my thighs. "I've only told you a fraction of what happened with Tanya. You'd see me a whole lot differently if you knew it all."

Bella stiffened at the mention of Tanya's name as she always did in the rare occasions she came up in conversation, unwilling to look me in the eyes. "She left you because of the hospital, I get it. But what does that have to do with me?"

"More than you know," I murmured, shaking my head. "There's more to it than that."

_A year earlier_

_I walked through the door of the apartment after what felt like the longest two weeks of my life. After losing Dr. Keegan from the staff the previous month, I had volunteered to pick up a few extra shifts, and all I really wanted to do was get off my feet and sleep._

_However, the apartment was unnaturally still for six o'clock at night. All the lights were off and Tanya was nowhere in sight. I shrugged it off for the time being, assuming that she had just gone out with Kate again, and made my way to the bedroom and collapsed into my pillow._

_I woke at nine the next morning, surprised that I'd slept so long, but also that I hadn't heard Tanya come home during the night. Turning my head on the pillow, my eyes met the still made, vacant bed beside me and I sat up slowly, my eyes adjusting to the light._

"_Tanya?" I called out to the empty room and tossed the covers to the side, rising from bed and walking out into the living room. Nothing stirred and the couch was vacant, as was the kitchen. I grabbed my coat from the back of the couch and reached into the pocket for my phone. _

_No calls. No texts. I dialed her phone and it went straight to voicemail. My heart began pounding as thoughts of something happening to her ran through my mind._

_Hey, you didn't come home last night. Are you okay?_

_I sent off the text and began a pot of coffee, barely sitting down at the table when my phone buzzed in my hand._

_I'm fine. But I'm not coming home. I don't live there anymore._

_My brow furrowed and my eyes widened as I read her words, and then looked up to gaze around the apartment. Every trace of Tanya was gone. Every picture, every CD, and even that God-awful quilt from the back of the couch that she loved so much—all gone._

_When were you planning on telling me that you were leaving?_

_I typed out the text with a clenched jaw, anger filling me that she'd left with no warning. No discussion, at the first possible opening, leaving me completely in the dark._

_My phone vibrated again on the table with an incoming call. It was Tanya. Part of me didn't want to answer, not wanting to hear what she had to say. Yet, another part knew that it was inevitable that I talk to her._

_I answered and held it up to my ear, but words wouldn't come to me… except one. "Why?"_

"_You don't need me, Edward," she spoke softly in reply. "And a relationship can't work when there's only one person in it."_

"_Tanya, we talked about this—"_

"_No! We haven't!" she cut me off, her voice a little more forceful. "We never __talk__. That would actually involve a conversation consisting of more than 'I gotta go'. The only relationship you put any effort into is the one you have with the hospital. You barely even notice me anymore."_

"_That's not true. I notice you. I called this morning, didn't I?"_

"_After how long?" she asked with a sad sigh. "I've been gone for two weeks, Edward. _Two weeks_, and you're only just _now_ noticing."_

_My breath froze in my throat as I stood and made my way back into the bedroom, whipping open the closet door to find her side completely bare. How many times had I come in here to change and hadn't seen this? Our bathroom was missing her hairbrush, her towel, her toothpaste and toothbrush, and the tiny perfume bottles along the mirror. I sank down onto the end of the bed in shock._

_Looking back over the last couple of weeks, I realized that she was right. I _hadn't_ noticed that she wasn't there, when evidence of it was all around me and should have smacked me right in the face._

"_There's no room for me in your life. I can't compare to all that. Maybe someday, some woman will, but it's not me. I want a companion, not an occasional roommate," she said in a soft, sorrowful tone. "I want to get married and have a family. And as much as I would love to have that with you, I just don't see it happening. I know you don't love me like that, Edward."_

I stared at my hands as Bella gazed at me silently, unable to continue past that point. It was the part of me I never wanted her to see; the part that would effectively destroy her image of me.

She drew in a slow, deep breath after an extended moment of silence, tucking her hair behind her ear. "So that's why you got into this online thing with me? It was safe as long as I was thousands of miles away from you."

"What?" I gasped with widened eyes and gazing at her in disbelief, watching her eyes lower to the comforter covering her legs and shaking my head. "Bella, no. That's not what I'm trying to say."

"But it is. Because it's very obvious that you _did_ love her, if it's still affecting your life a year later," she replied with her bruised lip trembling with restrained cries, and I slid up the bed and took her hand.

"No, I didn't," I said in a calmer tone and her eyes rose to mine. "I wanted to argue with her, and tell her that I did. But I couldn't. We were together for two years, living in the same apartment for six months. And I couldn't even tell her that I loved her."

Her brow furrowed in confusion and her head shook as she stared down at our joined hands. "You've completely lost me. I'm not following you at all."

"Bella," I whispered softly, sliding off the bed to kneel on the floor beside her and cupped her hand between my own. "I was so wrapped up in my own world and at the hospital that someone who _should_ have meant the world to me, didn't. And when she left, I didn't even notice. For two _weeks_. I guess part of me was even waiting for it to happen, I just never thought she'd do it. I was floored when I realized that she wasn't coming back, but even more so when it hit me that I was _okay_ with that."

Bella looked to me again and swallowed hard, her fingers twitching slightly between my hands. "So, you think you'll figure out that you don't really love me?"

I pinched my eyes closed and secured my hold on her hand, raising it to my lips and pressing them to the backs of her fingers. "If I lost _you_ like that… if you decided that you couldn't handle life with me, I think I'd lose my mind," I replied in a strained voice, a lump rising in my throat and my brow tightening. "I didn't love her, but I _do_ love you, so damn much. And losing you like that would kill me."

"So you push me away instead?" Her voice was hardened slightly and I felt the pit of my stomach drop, but she never pulled away from me. "'What ifs' will kill a relationship faster than any profession, Edward."

I nodded and looked back to her. "I know. I'm just really afraid of losing the first thing that's truly mattered to me, aside from my career, because I can't change who I am."

"That's who I fell in love with. If you changed that, part of the man I love would disappear," she replied, her features softening slightly as her thumb ran along my hand. "I'm not _that_ insecure that I need you with me around the clock to reassure me that you love me."

"The way you looked at me when I got called to the hospital the other night… and when I came home to the dark apartment…" I sighed as my voice trailed off, shaking my head.

"I won't tell you that I wasn't disappointed, but not just because you left," she said, her grip tightening on me. "You'd been pushing me away for days, and I couldn't figure out what I'd done. And it just didn't seem like you were all that upset about leaving me, and on your vacation, no less. That hurt, more than anything."

"I'm not going to ask your forgiveness for that. There _is _no excuse for it," I replied, lowering my gaze and running my fingers along the back of her hand. "But I _am_ sorry I hurt you. More than I can tell you."

"Edward, come here." She spoke so softly that I barely heard her, feeling her gently tug my hand toward her. I rose and sat back down beside her on the bed, and listened as she inhaled a deep breath. "I'm still upset with you. I've never been so hurt, confused, completely humiliated… in my entire life as I have been in the last few days. But…"

My eyes lifted to gaze at her and fresh tears lined her bruised cheek. I reached up to gently brush them away with my thumb and her lips immediately pressed to my palm.

"That doesn't mean that I don't still love you," she whispered and looked up at me. "I just can't live in the shadow of every woman who's come before me. You need to have faith in me before anything can work between us. If you can't do that, then it's best if you just went back to Chicago and let me get over you, and move on with my life. Because I can't live like this."

My chest tightened painfully at her statement and I found it impossible to swallow. I couldn't fault her for saying it, but the thought of life without her was the sole reason for everything we'd been through in the last few days. And it terrified me that this could be the end. "Would it be that easy for you to get over me?"

**Not an intentional cliffie! It's just time for Bella's perspective, and all of that is planned for the next chapter. :) Take care! **


	22. Resolutions Pt 1

**A/N: Happy Holidays! Originally, this was supposed to be the last chapter of Late Night Encounters before the Epilogue, but I really wanted to get an update out for the holidays. As well as it just seemed like too much would be bunched into one chapter. (I underestimated it badly) So the last chapter will now be split in half, and this is the first part. I will endeavor to get the final one out as soon as possible, and I want to thank you all for your never-ending patience with me this year, as it has not been an easy one at all. Hoping for a much better 2011. **

**Late Night Encounters 20 ~ Resolutions Pt. 1**

**BPOV**

I sighed heavily, gazing at our hands that joined beside my hip. So much had happened over the last several days, I could still feel my head spinning from it. I honestly thought it couldn't possibly get worse than that plane ride back from Chicago, filled with uncertainty and pain at losing the Edward I had come to love so much. I began wondering if that man was even real, or if I had simply built him up that way in my mind from the very first online conversation we had.

However, the instant I was grabbed and pulled into that dark alley, he was all I could think about. I screamed with everything in me, almost feeling as if I were in one of those nightmares that, no matter how afraid you are or how hard you try, your voice won't work and you just can't scream loud enough. Memories I'd been trying to push back began flashing through my mind in blinding succession as I kicked, punched and cried through every moment of my attack until he finally ran away.

Edward's eyes and his smile. The way he would lick his lips just moments before pressing them to mine. The feel of his arms around me and the soft kisses along my neck that had woken me only days before. Then the look on his face when I told him that I was leaving, and the fact that I never told him that I loved him before I walked away.

And in the most terrifying event of my life, it was _that_ fact that gave me the strength to fight, to scream as loud as I could manage to draw as much attention to myself as possible. Through the pain and fear, nothing was stronger than my desire to see Edward again, even if I wasn't enough for him.

However, when he appeared at my bedside in the hospital, I was honestly surprised to see him. Despite my insistence for him before I would willingly let anyone else near me, I hadn't permitted myself to believe that he'd actually come. And once I allowed myself to gaze into his eyes, finding all the guilt and fear resting there, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd made a mistake in asking for him.

I didn't want him there with me because of my attack, or because he was afraid or felt responsible for what happened. I wanted to feel the safety that I only experienced with him, to know that he still loved me and why things had happened the way they did.

Listening to him talk about what happened with Tanya was painful, watching the crease in his forehead deepen as he told me about the day he realized she'd left and how it affected him. I had fooled myself into thinking that there hadn't been any feelings left there, but the look in his eyes made me wonder how wrong I'd been. It broke my heart to think that I'd fallen hopelessly in love with a man who was still trapped in the past with another woman who had broken his.

Even after he adamantly denied that he loved her, impassionately insisting that it was his fear of losing _me_ that made him behave that way, I still couldn't forget how much his actions had hurt me. That all I'd wanted was for him to hold me and tell me he loved me, and instead, he'd pushed me away with his fears and baseless assumptions.

"Edward, come here." I gently tugged his hand for him to sit beside me on the bed, and he rose to do so but wouldn't meet my eyes. I looked to where his fingers still wrapped around mine and drew in a deep breath. "I'm still upset with you. I've never been so hurt, confused, completely humiliated… in my entire life as I have been in the last few days. But…"

I hadn't realized that I was crying until I felt his hand come to my cheek, gathering the moisture there with his thumb. A simple, intimate gesture that it felt as if I'd been waiting an eternity for. And I drowned myself in it for a moment. It wasn't a touch of fear or guilt, but of affection. Everything I wanted from _my_ Edward. I pressed my lips to his palm and took a slow breath.

"That doesn't mean that I don't still love you," I murmured against his skin and brought my eyes back to his. I nearly lost myself in the surprise and relief in his gaze, but managed to collect my thoughts enough to continue. "I just can't live in the shadow of every woman who's come before me. You need to have faith in me before anything can work between us. If you can't do that, then it's best if you just went back to Chicago and let me get over you, and move on with my life. Because I can't live like this."

His breaths halted at my statement and his hand fell from my face. He appeared completely crestfallen and his eyes grew painfully sad, as dozens of emotions passed behind them at once. "Would it be that easy for you to get over me?"

My heart ached at his tone, as well as the shift in his features. His voice cracked as he spoke and the crease reappeared on his forehead, as if my words had caused him physical pain. His thumb resumed its motion on the hand still resting in his and I watched his gaze lower to it as well. I knew that look; I had seen it before – when I'd walked away from him at the airport in Chicago. How badly he'd wanted me to stay, but let me go because it was what _I_ had wanted. I could see that if I told him yes, he'd walk away without question, regardless of what _he _wanted.

However, the thought of that happening and my life returning to the way it was before he entered it was even more painful to endure. It felt like a dagger, driving straight through my heart, and I closed my eyes against the welling tears. "Of course it wouldn't be _easy_. But neither has the last few days. And I am _not_ going to spend my life waiting around for the next thing that freaks you out. I want a relationship, not a waiting game of walking around on eggshells with you. That's not any kind of life for _anyone_."

"That's the last thing I want, Bella," Edward replied, his brow tightening further and eyes focused on our hands.

"You'll have to be a little more specific than that," I said, attempting to keep my breaths slow and my gaze on him.

"I don't want to put you through that," he spoke in a soft voice, finally looking up to me. "I don't want to be the guy that has you waiting for him to break your heart."

"Well, the only way to accomplish that is to _not_ _be_ him," I replied, my fingers tracing lightly on him palm. He drew in a deep breath and nodded, clearing his throat as his hand tightened its hold lightly. "I don't want to lose you, Edward. I have been happier with you than I've been in my entire life. But I need you to be in this as much as I am."

"I don't want to lose you, either," he said, his forehead pulling together and the pained crease returned to his features as his hand gently cupped my jaw. "I really do love you."

My eyes closed and my smile stretched across my lips, tugging painfully at the split in the corner, but that didn't matter. I pulled him closer until his forehead rested against mine, bringing my fingers to run over his cheek. "That's all I've wanted to hear for days."

"What?" he whispered and I opened my eyes to look up at him again.

"That you love me. And not because I'm walking away or because I'm hurt. Just _because_," I replied with a soft chuckle, but a tear escaped the corner of my eye.

"Of course, I love you, Bella. I love you so damn much," he said breathlessly, his voice cracking slightly as he spoke.

Tilting my chin gently, he pressed his lips softly to mine and my fingers weaved into his hair, holding him against me. The ache I felt throughout my body at the movement held nothing on the one I had felt since Vegas. Wanting to feel him against me, the tension between us gradually dissipating. To have _my_ Edward back. His thumb grazed lightly over my cheek, causing me to wince slightly as it brushed over the bruise, and he began to pull back.

I shook my head, lightly gripping his hair to hold him close to me. "Don't."

"But it's hurting you-"

"It's worth it," I interrupted him, pulling him back against my lips. "You have no idea how much I've missed this. Missed _you_."

His kiss remained gentle, but there was no doubting the emotion behind it. I allowed myself to soak in every aspect of the moment; the softness of his lips, every strand of his hair between my fingers, the scent of him surrounding me. Every single thing I'd missed so much. I slid my arm around his shoulders to pull him closer to me, and while hesitant to place his weight on me, he draped his body along my side. He continued brushing soft kisses against my lips while his eyes moved over my face. I knew I had to have looked like hell, with all the cuts and bruises that even had _me_ avoiding a mirror. Yet, he still gazed at me with such adoration, touching me gently… but still touching me.

After what had happened, I wasn't sure how he would react if we ever returned to that point. Would he still see me the same way? Or would the fact that another man's hands had been on me, while not in an intimate way, change his view of me? Would he still want me, or see me only as an obligation?

I saw none of that in his eyes. Through all the pain I saw there with every wince and gasp I would utter whenever I would try to move, I still saw my Edward and every ounce of love he had for me. I pressed my lips against his again until the abrupt clearing of a throat in the hallway interrupted us, and I turned my gaze toward it.

There I found my father, glaring sternly at Edward before continuing down the hall to his room and closing the door more roughly than necessary.

Edward chuckled nervously as his forehead pressed against mine before sitting up. "I guess that's my cue to get my ass back downstairs."

My eyes widened and I reached for his hand, gripping it tightly. "No. I don't want you to go. Please, don't leave me alone here."

The fear of the images that had been haunting me every time I closed my eyes shook me to my core. Dark hair and denim jacket, his fist coming toward me. I could still feel and hear everything about that morning in my head, still smell the pungent combination of cigarettes and alcohol, and I couldn't shake it. Not yet.

I felt Edward's lips press against my forehead and then rest on my hair. "Shh. Relax, baby. I won't leave if you don't want me to. Don't think your father will be too happy about that."

"I'll deal with my father in the morning. It's not like we can really _do_ anything that he would object to," I said with a weak smile, attempting to shift on the bed to make room for him, the accompanying sharp intake of breath emphasizing my point.

"I think my mere presence here would be objectionable," he replied with an uncomfortable chuckle as he kicked off his shoes and then carefully lay down beside me.

I slowly lifted my head for him to slide his arm beneath it, and then lowered it back down on his shoulder. I felt his cheek resting against the top of my head and his fingers tracing lightly through my hair, and every muscle in my body began to loosen and relax. My eyes grew heavy as the exhaustion of the previous few days caught up with me and finally closed. "I don't care."

I continued to breathe him in, trailing the backs of my fingers over his chest. I didn't want the moment to end, to fall asleep and take the chance of waking up to everything as it was even just that morning. To have him pull away from me again.

"Get some sleep, Bella."

"No," I replied with a slight smirk, to which he chuckled softly. "How can I possibly sleep when we still have so much to talk about?"

"There's plenty of time to discuss the future," I heard him whisper into my hair and I lifted my eyes to look at him.

"There is?" I asked tentatively.

"Definitely," he replied, gently smoothing my hair back from my face. "Bella, there _is_ no future for me without you in it."

**x-x-x**

"Isabella Marie Swan, what is going on with you?" my father's voice carried through the kitchen the following morning, his arms waving out on either side of him. I sat silently at the table with my eyes lowered, my fingers picking at the black brace around my wrist. "This isn't like you, young lady. Who _is_ this guy and why haven't you so much as mentioned him to us?"

"Because I didn't want _this_. The interrogation at the first mention that I had a boyfriend," I stated pointedly as I looked up to my father's reddened face, thankful that Edward was out in the living room with my mother. My dad could be quite intimidating when he was angry, and there was no doubt in my mind of how upset he was. "Edward's a great guy. He's a doctor -"

"From _Chicago. _What the hell are you thinking, Bella?" he yelled with his fingers pressed to his forehead. "Not to mention _way_ too old for you."

"He's twenty-eight, that's not _that_ much older than—"

"A twenty-eight year old doctor from halfway across the country? This makes no sense. What, aren't there boys your own age in LA? And you're down there to study, not date."

"Dad, my grades are good, I'm keeping up with all my classes. And I'm not running around campus, partying it up and getting drunk, or sleeping around with a bunch of guys. I just started talking to Edward online one night, and—"

"Stop right there. Online? You met this boy _online_?" my father replied with widened eyes, his shoulders tensing as he clenched his fists. "This is done, young lady. Right now. My daughter is not going to have some sick, twisted internet… thing."

"No, it's not! And by the way, I'm fine, Dad. A little achy and sore, a little scared shitless by everything that's happened, but I'm _fine_. Thanks for asking," I snapped with angry tears in my eyes, rising up from my seat slowly and standing in front of him. "You can't keep doing this. I have tried all my life to do everything you wanted me to, to be a good kid and get good grades, and make you proud of me. But damn it, I'm not a little kid anymore. I'm twenty-two years old, about to graduate from college, and I think it's time for you to start letting me live my own life. And I'm _not_ going to let you destroy the best thing that's ever happened to me. I _love_ him, Dad."

My father stood dumbfounded at my outburst, rendered speechless for the first time in as long as I could remember. My throat burned slightly from yelling against the restrained cries in my chest, and I watched as his hands slid into his front pockets and his head lowered. "I just don't want to see you hurt, Bella. He lives in Chicago, what kind of future can you have?"

"None," I replied in a softer tone and his eyes rose to mine, and I shook my head. "As long as I stay this far away from him. I'm not moving back to Washington, Dad."

He slowly lowered into the kitchen chair with a look of disbelief, never taking his eyes off me. His chest rose and fell dramatically and his hand rose to rest over his heart.

"Dad?" I said worriedly, stepping toward him to rest my hand on his shoulder. My mother and Edward both appeared in the doorway a moment later and my father shook his head.

"I'm fine. Just—" he paused, his fingers resting gently on my hand and closing around it. "You're not coming home?"

My eyes rose to meet Edward's, which were giving me just as questioning of a gaze. "No, I'm not," I replied shakily and felt my father's hand grip mine more firmly. "I've been starting to look into internships, with graduation so close. I found several in LA, but I have nothing to hold me there with Rose moving with Em, and Alice dropping out and moving to Texas with Jasper. There's some in Seattle, but I need to go where my heart lies. So, I've been looking into a few in Chicago."

My breath stalled in my throat as I watched Edward's eyes widen. I'd been unsure of how to approach the topic with him, since we'd never really discussed any kind of firm future, afraid that he would feel that it was all too sudden. But in the end, it had to be my decision.

"You're going to Chicago?" my father asked in a strained voice, his gaze moving to Edward.

"It's nothing set in stone yet. I haven't accepted anything, and I still have some things to figure out," I said with my eyes lowered, centering myself before looking back up to face him. "But yeah, I'm pretty sure that's what I'm going to be doing. After I go back to LA to finish my degree."

My father looked up to me and began shaking his head. "Baby, you can't go back there. It's far too dangerous for you."

"Bella, he's right. LA is not a good place for you to be right now. There has to be another way for you to finish your degree," Edward said, stepping further into the kitchen toward me.

"I'm not going to live in fear and hide away, so that this guy wins. I can't let him have that power over me," I replied, my eyes moving back and forth between them. "I have less than three months left, and I haven't worked this hard for this long to have him take that away from me. I want to finish out this semester and walk across that stage to get the degree I've busted my ass for."

My father and Edward shared an unnerving glance, both speaking volumes with their eyes. Their mutual worry and fear was evident in their postures, and while I knew it was more than warranted, my determination was stronger.

"I'm well aware of the dangers, but I _need_ to do this."

My eyes remained on my dad, watching his shoulders fall in defeat and he shook his head. He startled me by standing abruptly and stalking across the kitchen, his hand dragging slowly along his mustache and the corners of his mouth before resting on the back of his neck. "Bella, if something ever happened to you again, it would kill me. And this sick bastard could take you away from me, and your mother." He paused, his gaze moving across the room to the man at my side, and he swallowed hard. "And Edward."

His voice was tight and strained, and his jaw clenched as he spoke the words, but the emotion written in his eyes was something I'd never seen. My dad had never been one for displaying an abundance of affection, but one thing I'd never doubted was that in his extreme, overprotective way, he loved me more than anything in the world. And I knew that coming to terms with his little girl growing up and staring in the face of the man with whom he had to share her heart, was difficult for him.

As I began to stand shakily, I felt Edward's hand on my elbow and I looked to him, shaking my head. "I'm fine," I said softly and then walked over to my father. "Dad, you don't have to worry. I'm a cop's daughter, and you taught me how to protect myself. I'll carry mace, even take self-defense classes if I have to. Once I'm healed, obviously."

My dad wrapped his arms around me gently, kissing my forehead as his hand rested on my hair. "Extra deadbolt on your door."

I sighed and nodded, relaxing into his embrace and resting my head on his shoulder. "Yes, Dad."

"And windows closed _and_ locked at night," he continued.

"I'm on the second floor—" I began to protest, but his eyes locked on my face firmly. "Windows closed and locked. I promise."

"And please, call us at night to let us know you're okay. Call collect, if you have to."

"I will," I whispered with a fist full of his flannel shirt in my hand, inhaling the familiar scent of aftershave, beer, and just uniquely "Dad".

I felt his chin brush against my forehead as his head rose, looking across the room to Edward. "I'm going down to the station to grab some pepper spray. I think it might be a good opportunity for you and I to have that little talk."

His arms fell from around me and I glanced over to Edward, watching his Adam's apple dip and rise slowly as he swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes, sir."

Edward's voice shook slightly as he spoke and he appeared truly intimidated as he followed my father out of the kitchen. He turned his head to look back at me one more time and I gave him the best smile I could manage before he stepped out the door with my dad right behind him.

**x-x-x**

The several hours following their departure were nerve-wracking. Even with the consistent reassurances from my mother that everything would be fine, I couldn't help but worry. I was finally getting a handle on my life and the Edward I loved back; the last thing I needed was for my father sweeping in and messing it up.

My worries only increased about an hour after they left, when I received a phone call from Edward.

"I thought the interrogation rooms in the movies were just Hollywood hype. The two-way mirror is intimidating," he whispered softly and I groaned, covering my eyes with my hand. "Do you think he's watching me?"

"I'm gonna kill him. I swear to God!" I seethed, looking at my mother, who just rolled her eyes as if she instinctively knew what my father was up to. She always swore that he was a teddy bear with a Grizzly exterior, but to me, it felt as if my words had fallen on deaf ears in the kitchen earlier.

I needed to be allowed to grow up, to take control of my life, and make my own decisions. And that included who I decided to date.

"Oh shit, he's coming back with the coffee. I gotta go. Love you, baby."

I growled loudly as the line went dead, grasping my phone tightly in my hand with my jaw clenched slightly. "Dad!"

My mother continued in her attempts at soothing me for the next three hours until we heard the crunching of gravel beneath the tires of my dad's cruiser and the silencing of the engine. My father calmly walked into the house and through the kitchen, grabbing himself a beer from the fridge.

"Dad, where's Edward?" I asked firmly as he leaned against the counter, taking a sip from the can as if he didn't have a single care in the world.

"Oh, he's coming, Relax," my dad replied after a moment. "Seriously, is he _always_ that uptight?"

"What did you _do_?" I hissed quietly before Edward finally made his way into the kitchen, his face pale and giving me a timid smile.

"Remember, Edward, what happens at the station, stays at the station." My dad had a gleam in his eyes that was completely foreign, and then he turned his gaze to me with a smile and winked.

_That must have been some talk._


	23. Resolutions Pt 2

**Late Night Encounters 21 ~ Resolutions Pt. 2**

Throughout the entire flight back to LA, I was mentally cursing my father. Every attempt I made at conversation with Edward, he met with a small smile and brief answers. Not quite the withdrawn man from days before, but very cautious about where and how much he touched me, as well as what he said.

So much had transpired in just a couple of days; Rose and Emmett, my first _real_ fight with Edward, my attack, finally discovering what had become of Alice, picking away through Edward's thick exterior… just so much for such a short period of time. Alice had promised to call to explain more about why she had taken off so suddenly to Texas with a man that she barely knew once I'd healed, but I knew that both she and Rose were okay— there was nothing to worry about urgently.

My only concern at that particular moment was the—once again—silent man at my side.

Once we arrived back at my apartment and I settled onto my couch as comfortably as I could, I reached out for Edward's hand and gently tugged him down to sit beside me. "Okay, I have no idea what my father said to you, but right now, I am imagining the worst. And he was grinning like the cat who caught the canary, while you looked like you'd seen a ghost. So, the hell with his 'what happens at the station, stays at the station' bullshit, and tell me what he said to make you act this way."

"It was nothing," he replied with a slight chuckle; that same irritating, attempt at a smile gracing his lips again and _really_ pissing me off. I sighed and gave him an intent glare, and he released his hold. His body leaned forward and he folded his hands in front of him, his gaze resting on the coffee table. "The Chicago thing really threw him, Bella. As it did me."

"God, we're not going back there again, are we?" I groaned, resting my head gently on the back of the couch. "I thought you wanted this."

Edward glanced over at me as I gestured my hand between the two of us and he quickly shook his head, turning his body to face me and tracing his fingers over my hair. "I do, baby. That's not what I mean. I just had no idea that you were even considering it. And I don't think your father believed that for a second."

_Flashback in EPOV_

_As I walked past Chief Swan and out the door, I felt the trepidation building in my gut. I heard his footsteps following mine and the jingling of his keys, and my heart began to race, my forehead beaded with sweat. Bella's father had not gotten the best first impression of me, and the thought of being alone … in a police station with actual holding cells … with my girlfriend's father, the police chief … I didn't mind saying that made me more than a little nervous._

_"I just have to clear some of my stuff out of the front seat, unless you don't mind riding in the back," he started with a straight face, and as I struggled for a response, he shook his head and laughed. _

_This was going to be a _long_ afternoon._

_Once he gathered the papers from the passenger seat into a pile and moved them to the middle, I lowered myself into the car beside him. Silence filled the small, confined space and I kept my gaze out the side window—if he was trying to intimidate me, it was working. _Very_ well._

_When the small diner that I was certain we'd passed three times before flashed by us again, it became obvious that he was stalling, dragging this out as long as he possibly could. There was no way that he was having trouble finding the police station that he went to every day, in such a small town where he'd spent his entire life. He kept shooting me occasional glances as if expecting me to say something, but nothing would come to me. His reaction to how we'd met – the 'appropriate for parental ears' version—was not exactly encouraging; what else could I possibly add to that?_

_'Your daughter is so much better in person, sir.'— that didn't even sound right to _my_ ears. _

_After driving for what felt like an eternity, we pulled up to the small station, and my stomach suddenly felt as if it were in my throat. The Chief wordlessly exited the car and began walking toward the entrance, and I slowly followed suit, my nervousness reaching new limits. This _had_ to be the worst nightmare of any man; even the small building in front of me appeared ten stories tall and intimidating as hell._

_"Why don't you just wait in there, I'll only be a few minutes," he said casually, pointing toward the open room beside him as he passed._

_I halted in my steps when I reached the doorway and swallowed hard. It was an interrogation room, with the long rectangular table and uncomfortable looking chairs, even the mirror along the wall – everything I'd ever seen in those reruns of Law and Order and cheesy crime movies._

Oh fuck,_ I thought to myself as I hesitantly stepped into the room and sat down, feeling very much like I was going to be sick. All I needed at that point were the investigators in dress shirts and ugly ties carrying the styrofoam cups of coffee. _

_Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I quickly dialed Bella, needing her now more than ever. She answered on the first ring and her voice was slightly frantic, which did nothing to reassure me. If _she_ was nervous, I could only imagine what I was in for._

_"I thought the interrogation rooms in the movies were just Hollywood hype. The two-way mirror is intimidating," I whispered into the phone, attempting to keep the conversation private with my eyes never leaving the wall in front of me. "Do you think he's watching me?"_

_"I'm gonna kill him. I swear to God!" she practically growled into the phone – _well, irritation is better than fear,_ I thought._

_Looking up as movement caught the corner of my eye, I spotted her father walking down the hall— with two styrofoam cups. "Oh shit, he's coming back with the coffee. I gotta go. Love you, baby."_

_I abruptly ended the call and shoved my phone back into my pocket, sitting up a little straighter and attempting to appear far more confident than I felt. _

_Bella's father set the cups on the table and went to close the door, snapping the blinds on the window shut. His eyes met mine as he walked back, taking the seat across from me and sliding the chair closer. "So, how long have you and Bella been together?"_

Wow, he certainly doesn't beat around the bush,_ I mused silently as I cleared my throat, trying to formulate the words to reply. "A few months, sir."_

_"And all this online business? You can understand, in my line of work, why this makes me more than a little nervous," he continued, folding his hands in front of him on the table. "Now, I'm sure you're a good guy and all, as Bella has said. But that's my little girl, my only child. I know I can't protect her forever, but the thought of her being so far away with someone she barely knows—I'd be lying if I said that sat well with me."_

_My mind ran rampant and then fell completely blank, unable to think of a single way to explain everything to him. That, despite the distance between us, I knew more about Bella than I probably would if we'd met through normal means. The things we felt the freedom to discuss online, without the pretense or nervousness of being face-to-face, granted us an insight into each other that might have taken years to procure through the normal process of dating._

_But how to put that into words to her _father_._

_Another aspect that crossed my mind was that I wasn't sure if he knew about New York, or if he believed that our first meeting had resulted in her bolting from Chicago, hurt and devastated. And directly into the line of danger that had led us to the current situation. I felt more sweat beading on my forehead—there _was_ no safe answer._

_"Sir, I understand your concerns. Bella and I have gotten to know each other pretty well over the last few months, and grown to care about each other very much. Though I had no idea that she was considering moving to Chicago right after graduation," I started and he grunted in response, taking a sip of coffee. _

_"So you only intended to keep this online thing going? You don't think she deserved something better than that?"_

_The distaste in his voice was unsettling and he glared at me sternly. I took a deep breath and shook my head, glancing down at the other cup, considering taking a drink to keep my foot from finding its way further down my throat. I quickly dismissed that thought, knowing the last thing I needed was to be even more jittery._

_"Not at all. I'd certainly hoped that at some point we would discuss the possibility of being closer, but as of yet, we hadn't," I said and watched him lean back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. _

_"Is it actually something you want? Didn't sound like it from the way Bella described it," he replied, his lips pursing slightly in skepticism._

_My hand rose to the back of my neck, rubbing it nervously and squeezing my eyes shut. I was digging myself in deeper with every word I spoke._

_"Edward, I'm really not trying to be a hardass," he sighed, leaning forward on the table and I opened my eyes to find his features minutely softened while still keeping his voice firm. "I just want what's best for Bella. She has what it takes to really make something of herself, and I'd hate to see her throw it away for something that might not last."_

_I inhaled deeply and nodded, my hands clasping tightly in front of me. "I see what you're saying. However, I would never do anything to hinder Bella from achieving anything she wanted. She's a very headstrong and determined woman, and that's one of the many things I love about her."_

_Chief Swan pondered that thought for a moment, his thumb tapping lightly on the table. I swallowed hard and shifted uncomfortably under his scrutinizing gaze. He suddenly chuckled and shook his head, confusing me with his quickly shifting moods. "I've been keeping my eye on you since you first arrived in LA, more so when I learned of your association with her. The fact that you dropped everything to be there with her, despite the circumstances, says a lot. And while finding a man in bed with my daughter in the morning was not on my top ten list of anything I _ever _wanted to see…"_

_I felt all the color leave my face at that moment as his eyebrow raised and my stomach lurched into my throat. I instantly had a vision in my head of him lunging across the table and strangling me to within an inch of my life. Mentally putting myself in his shoes, I know I'd probably want to do the same. I tried to speak, but no sound would come out._

_"Edward, are you okay? You look like you're gonna be sick," he asked, tilting his head slightly._

_He was _just_ noticing that? After sitting there for who knew how long by then, in that room that seemed to grow smaller by the second and sweating my ass off; only _then _did__ I appear ill?_

_I managed a brief nod before he continued. "I truly admire that you haven't left her side any more than you've absolutely had to. And I didn't bring you here to scare the shit out of you, just to talk to you man to man. That being said, however," he paused, standing up and resting his palms on the surface in front of him. "If _anything _happens to my daughter or you hurt her in any way out there in Chicago, we are going to have a problem. _Nothing_, not my badge, or even my wife, is more important to me than my little girl."_

_"Yes sir," I replied quickly, my heart pounding in my chest…_

**BPOV**

"He threatened you?" I exclaimed through clenched teeth, my eyes widening. "That is _complete_ abuse of power. What the hell is wrong with him? He can't do that!"

As I began reaching into my pocket for my phone, completely intent on calling my father, I felt Edward's hand rest over mine. "Bella, don't."

"No, next thing you know, he'll have a private investigator on your ass and background checks in progress, and—"

My words silenced to a muffled grunt as his lips pressed gently to mine, his arm sliding around my shoulders. He pulled away slowly and shook his head as his fingers brushed my cheek. "He was just being a dad. And even if that wasn't the case, I wouldn't be worried anyway. What is he going to find? That I had a speeding ticket ten years ago?"

"Then if it wasn't my father, why have you been acting so weird?" I asked with an exasperated sigh.

Edward's eyes held mine and I felt his hand running slowly along my arm. "Why didn't you tell me about Chicago?"

My gaze fell to his thigh where my fingertips were tracing small circles over the coarse denim of his jeans. "I was going to. I just wanted to see it first. You know, first hand, before I made any kind of firm decision. It's not just being closer to you that I had to consider, though it _was_ definitely a factor. I was planning on talking to you about it in Chicago, before … everything."

Edward nodded solemnly and he pressed his lips to my temple. I leaned into him, wanting nothing more than to feel his arms around me at that moment. He pulled away from me long enough to shift his body and lean me back against his chest between his legs. Surprisingly, it was the most comfortable I'd been in days. I could feel his breath in my hair, smell the horrendous soap he'd had to use in Forks on his skin, combined with his familiar scent lingering in his clothes. His heart beat rhythmically beneath my back and his arms encircled my shoulders across my chest.

More than anything, I felt safe.

"That's why you were asking me all those questions that night in Vegas," he said softly and I looked up at him, and he appeared as distant as he sounded. His eyes returned to me a moment later with sudden realization in them. "About still wanting you if we were closer."

I closed my eyes and nodded slowly, resting my forehead against the side of his neck. "Yeah."

"And you still want to? Despite … everything?" he asked in a nervous tone, swallowing audibly.

"How long are we going to continue being so elusive about it?" I sighed softly, taking his hand with mine where it rested on my shoulder. The events of Chicago were going to be a source of unease between us for quite some time to come, as well as the resulting ones in LA; but only if we allowed them. Our conversations had been limited, at best, since he arrived at the hospital due to our surroundings and never truly being _alone_, and it was maddening. "Yes, I want to go to Chicago, and I sure as hell want to get out of LA as soon as I possibly can. But some things have changed."

"Such as?" Edward asked and I closed my eyes, running my hand along his arm. The trepidation in his voice was unmistakable, as if worried that I had changed my mind about _us_; which only made me more certain about my course of action.

"I want to find my own place. Still close to you, but I need to build a life for myself there as well," I replied and I felt his lips press against my collarbone, and I looked to find his eyes squeezed shut. My hand rose to rest along his jaw, tracing my fingers along it as I kissed his forehead. "We need a fresh start, Edward. To date like a regular couple. Nothing between us has ever just been _normal_. Not that I'm complaining, but I really think we both need that."

I felt his breath finally release from his body, cupping my hand with his, where it still rested on his cheek and kissing my palm. "And to see where things lead from there."

Edward's eyes rose to meet mine, questions residing in their depths that only time would answer. I nodded as I laced my fingers between his, relaxing more back against him. "I love you, and there's nothing I want more than to be with you. But I need to be able to stand on my own two feet as well if I have any chance of surviving in Chicago were anything to happen to us."

His chest deflated as if I'd just knocked the wind out of him with my words, his head falling back as our joined hands lowered to rest at our side. "I know."

My thumb ran along his and I turned my face to kiss along his jaw. "But I'd never give you up without a fight."

Edward's head rose to look at me again, gazing at me for a moment before releasing my hand to cup my face with his. "I love you."

His voice was a hushed whisper, yet it lost none of its meaning as his lips sealed gently over mine. I wanted him, aching to feel his touch and his body against me again. But as I shifted to melt into the kiss, my ribs reminded me sharply of their presence. I righted myself, struggling to breathe through the pain until it eventually subsided. "I can't heal fast enough."

I heard a soft chuckle in his throat as he kissed the tip of my nose and gently stroked my cheek with the backs of his fingers. "We've got time, baby."

"But you're leaving tomorrow," I replied with a slight pout.

"I swear I'll make it up to you, Bella." I opened my eyes to look at him, noting the seriousness in his gaze before he rested his forehead against mine. "Every single moment I've wasted, I'll make up to you, even if it takes forever."

**x-x-x**

My eyes focused on my lap, trying to hold back the tears forming as I listened to Edward's voice on his phone, requesting a cab to the airport. For all my insistence on taking him there myself, I was unable to convince him, decreasing my time with him even more. I didn't know how I was going to manage saying goodbye to him again with as emotionally taxing as the past week had been.

Yet, as turbulent as it was, I couldn't bring myself to regret it. If anything, I was sure it would be something we would eventually look back on as the kick in the ass we both needed. To force us into the reality of each other as people, rather than the fantasy we'd allowed ourselves to be immersed in.

But that didn't make it any easier to let him go.

"It'll be here in twenty minutes," his voice cut through my thoughts, and I merely nodded in response, my tears finally betraying me and slipping down my cheeks. He knelt down in front of me, his hands resting on my thighs. "Baby, don't cry. We're going to see each other again very soon."

"I know," I replied with a sniffle and a nod, my fingers tracing along his arm but I never lifted my eyes. "I just really wish you'd let me come with you."

"I'd never get on that plane," he said seriously and I finally looked at him. He pressed a gentle kiss against my lips, cradling my face between his hands as he lingered there for a few more seconds and then pulled away. "And I have to work in the morning, and you have school. Real life calls."

"I've had more than enough 'real life' in the past few days to last me a _lifetime_," I retorted in a huff and he emitted an uncomfortable chuckle. "The thought of three _more_ months until I can touch you again … it's hard."

"I know. For me, too," Edward whispered and I sucked in a sudden breath, ignoring the twinge it caused. "What?"

"Hold on a second," I spoke in a rush, pushing him back gently and standing from the couch. I hardly registered his confused gaze as I made my way into my bedroom, and knelt down in front of my suitcase.

"Bella, what are you doing?" he asked from the doorway as I began tossing the garments inside to the floor haphazardly.

"Hold on!" I repeated in exclamation, continuing to shuffle through the clothing until my fingers met the soft material they were searching for.

Edward's grey t-shirt.

He raised an eyebrow at me as I stood, pressing it against his chest as I passed him on my way back out to the living room. He watched me silently as I unzipped his duffel bag and retrieved the shirt he'd worn when he arrived in LA. I held it to my face and drew in a slow breath, inhaling his scent.

My eyes opened to find his shoes directly in front of me, and then looked up to where he dangled the other shirt from his fingertips with a curious expression on his face.

"I took it out of your bag in New York while you were in the bathroom. To sleep in when I got home," I said with a hint of embarrassment in my voice. "Thought that maybe if I could smell you, I'd sleep better. And it sorta worked, until it started smelling like _me_ instead. Stupid, I know."

"Not at all," he replied after a moment, holding his hand out for mine. I took it and rose from the floor to stand in front of him, his arms sliding around my waist. "Wish I'd thought of it myself, as a matter of fact."

Edward's lips lowered to mine again and I returned his kiss passionately until his forehead rested against mine to catch his breath.

"I love you," I whispered with closed eyes, more tears welling behind them.

"And I love you," he replied, running his hands along my back. He attempted to step away from me and I gripped his shoulder with my good hand, shaking my head. "I have to go, baby."

"Just kiss me, one more time. Please," I cried softly, my fingers slipping around his neck and he didn't hesitate in responding. His lips met mine again in a slow, passionate kiss, his tongue brushing lightly against mine before he reluctantly broke it again.

"We'll be together again before you know it, Bella. And then, I'm never leaving you again."

I nodded and hesitantly released him, watching as he hoisted his bag onto his shoulder on his way to the door. He looked back at me one last time as he opened it, holding the t-shirt I had given back to him to his face and the corners of his eyes wrinkled in a smile before disappearing into the hall.

And my heart shattered.

**EPOV**

Walking out that door tore me apart, watching the tears streaming down her face and her lip trembling even between her teeth. Before I'd even made it down that first step, I was already fighting the urge to turn back, and I knew I'd made the right decision in going to the airport alone.

As I sat in the back of the cab, my fingers manipulated the fabric in my hands and a half-smile came to my lips. I remembered looking for that particular t-shirt when I'd returned from New York, figuring that I must have missed it and left it behind in the room; although, I was certain I remembered packing it. The discovery that Bella had taken it from my bag while I wasn't looking, to take a part of me home with her, both amused me and made her all the more endearing.

When I arrived home hours later, I immediately retrieved it from the side pocket in which I'd secluded it and changed into it, surrounding myself in her scent. I was exhausted from the tumultuous week that had just transpired, and while I missed her dreadfully, I felt an odd sense of peace; like the serene calm after a storm. I had hope for the future with her again.

Retrieving my phone from my pocket, I opened a blank text message and began typing.

_Just wanted to tell you goodnight and you smell really good. ;)_

I pressed send and set my alarm, climbing into bed and closing my eyes until my phone vibrated on my bedside table. I laughed out loud as I read her reply.

_You're lucky I know what you're talking about, or that would be kinda creepy. And you do too. Goodnight, love you._

_Love you too. Tty tomm. Don't forget to lock up._

I could almost see the roll of her eyes and hear her groan the moment I hit send, knowing how she felt that her father's request, and mine as well, was on the verge of over-protective. Nonetheless, she replied with a simple "I won't".

**x-x-x**

"Okay, how about _this_ one?" Bella's exasperated voice came through my headset as another link to an available apartment appeared in my window.

I clicked on it, noting the location and immediately began shaking my head. "No way, baby. That's way too far out and definitely _not_ in the best of neighborhoods."

I watched her through the webcam as she threw her hands up in the air and leaned back into her chair roughly. "I give up! I'm never going to find anything. I'm beginning to think you're making this up just so I'll move in with _you_ instead."

"The thought has crossed my mind," I teased and laughed as she narrowed her eyes at me. "But I promise, that's not it. I just want you safe and close to work."

"And to you," she replied with pursed lips, attempting to hide the hint of a smile.

I had to admit, I'd initially been a little disappointed when Bella informed me before I left LA that she wanted to have a place of her own in Chicago. And even felt a twinge of guilt when she explained why; but her reasoning was sound. She was starting a new life in Chicago, and she needed to make it for herself. With being fresh out of college, I understood her desire to prove to herself and her parents that she could do it on her own. We'd also be starting a new phase in our relationship, one that she seemed to be looking forward to, while still understandably nervous.

Dating. Dinners. Movies. Holding hands and kissing goodnight at the end of the evening. _Normalcy_.

As much as I knew she wanted that, it was also the aspect that scared her. "Normal" was where I had panicked and shut myself down from her. It was probably going to be a long road for us before she felt certain that I wasn't going to leave her.

We'd even talked a bit about it over the past month and a half since we'd been apartment hunting for Bella, between nightly chats and frequent text messages during the day. She'd applied for an internship at an architecture firm only a few miles from the hospital, and had been accepted; one step closer to making her move to Chicago permanent. And with that step came time for decisions, both about her apartment and us.

Bella had decided to look into six-month leases first, with the possibility to renew, as it presented her with the best options. She didn't want to be locked into a one year lease if things between us progressed as we hoped, and we were ready to move forward in our relationship in a shorter period of time. And on the flipside, if we weren't to that point in six months, she wasn't rushing to find another place to live.

"All right, this is one that I think can make us both happy," I said, copying the link into her window and tapping the enter key. "Close to work _and_ me, and still in your price range."

Bella rested her chin on her palm as she clicked the link, her eyes flickering over the screen. "I think I may have a _closet_ bigger than that bathroom."

"Bella," I groaned, rubbing my eyes with the heels of my palms.

"I know, I know. I have less than two months to find a place before the move," Bella sighed heavily. "But who could blame me for preferring the view of my gorgeous boyfriend over a dingy apartment."

My brow tightened before lowering my hands to find her beautiful face framed by hers, and a glint in her eyes that I hadn't seen since Vegas. While we hadn't gone a single evening without hearing the other's voice after that first night home from LA, talking was as far as we'd gone. With the healing time required for her body _and_ our relationship, we'd been slowly building the intimacy and trust back up between us, while never failing to express the love we had for each other.

However, electricity seemingly sparked in the air around me as I watched her tongue snake out to moisten her lower lip, and I couldn't help myself—I was instantly hard.

"I've missed you, Edward," Bella whispered, resting back in her chair again and trailing her fingers slowly down her neck. I cleared my throat and discreetly adjusted myself in my jeans, as they continued between her breasts, circling the right one with her index finger… over _my_ t-shirt.

"Oh fuck," I breathed out heavily, swallowing hard but unable to take my eyes off the incredibly sexy woman on my screen.

"I've missed that, too," she said with a soft giggle and I raised my eyebrow at her. If she noticed my facial expression, she disguised it well as she took on an airy tone. "You know, I was doing a little bit of packing today, since it's never too early to start. And I came across a drawer full of some pretty interesting things."

"Oh really?" I replied, thoroughly confused by her change of topic.

Bella hummed softly with a nod, a mischievous smirk reappearing on her face. "From a certain shopping trip with Rose."

A surge rushed through my body with her words and her shift in tone. Images flashed through my mind with the results of the _last_ "shopping trip with Rose" she'd mentioned to me; the stripper pole, her striptease … and that chair.

"I thought about just packing them away, but that would be _such _a waste," she spoke in a sultry tone, as she lifted a black lace bra in front of the camera, followed by the matching thong panties. Garment after garment passed over my screen, in a variety of fabrics and colors. Blue satin, lavender lace, white sheer—all of which I could envision on her beautiful body and I released a groan as my cock pressed against the front of my jeans. "It really was a tough decision as to what I should actually _wear_ tonight. Interested?"

"You have _no_ idea, baby," I groaned, inciting a smile from her as she stood, her fingers loosening the ties of her pants. As she began lowering them over her slender hips, I caught the hint of a black strap before the t-shirt fell to cover it. "Not fair."

"Patience, doctor," she teased as her pants fell from her body and she stepped out of them. It had been so long since I'd seen her this way, that even the view of her bare legs beneath the oversized shirt she wore was so damn sexy. And my body reacted accordingly. "Your turn. Lose the pants."

I drew in a deep breath, reaching down to unbutton my jeans when she stopped me, shaking her head and waving her finger.

"No, no. Stand up, I want to see," she said as she sat back down, bending her knee under her chin in that way she knew I couldn't resist. She was the perfect combination of sweet and sexy when she did that, and it drove me insane. "Please."

That one simple word caused me to shudder, watching her tilt her head to the side to rest her cheek on her knee. _Oh, she's pulling out all the stops tonight._

I stood and pushed my chair back, bringing myself more into her view as my button came loose and I lowered my zipper. Her breath became a little heavier and her teeth dragged over her bottom lip as the denim slid over my hips and fell to the floor.

"God, have I ever told you what great thighs you have?" Bella asked in a breathless voice, her hand rising to massage her breast again.

My eyes widened in surprise, not only at her statement, but also with the increasing level of arousal in her voice. While there was no doubt that I'd missed the vixen side of Bella, I hadn't expected her to be as receptive to the level of intimacy between us at that moment for quite some time—let alone initiate it. Desire heavily laced her voice and gaze, as well as her actions, as her hand grazed over her breast and slid beneath the view of the webcam.

"Thighs, huh?" I asked curiously, fighting an amused smile while never taking my gaze off her.

Bella's eyes slipped closed and her head leaned back, nodding slowly with her bottom lips held enticingly between her teeth. _Fuck, she's beautiful_. "So firm and muscular. The way they fill out your jeans. The way they feel against me while you're fucking me from behind."

I lowered myself back into my chair with a deep groan, as memories flooded me. Such as the night I took her in New York, bent over the edge of the bed; in Las Vegas, with our hands gripping the headboard. Each time, there was a look of absolute rapture on her face. My cock throbbed and I gripped myself through my boxer briefs, anxious to relieve the ache she was causing in my body. "Fuck, let me see you, Bella."

Her hazy eyes opened with my desperate plea, staring straight into the camera and she finally stood. Her fingers curled around the left edge of the shirt, lifting the corner to show me a hint of the panties she wore underneath. That thin black strap on her hip that I'd caught before led to deep red satin with black lace overlay.

"More," I whispered breathlessly as her hand dropped the fabric and repeated the action on the other side, this time tracing her fingers along her bikini line. "I need to see that body."

"Your memories getting fuzzy?" Bella asked, slowly lifting the shirt to expose her lower abdomen and stopping again.

"Never. I see you every night." My eyes trained on her skin, wishing so much that I could touch and kiss it.

"Well, obviously," she said with a roll of her eyes, finally removing the garment from her body. "You'd have to be blind not to."

I shook my head, taking in the gorgeous view before me. The dark colors of the bra and panties she wore offset the paleness of her skin, causing my fingers literally to twitch with the urge to touch her. "No, baby. After the camera is off. When I'm all alone in bed, missing you. I can't help myself."

One perfect eyebrow rose as she gestured for me to stand and remove my shirt as well. "You've been getting yourself off without me?"

I nodded shamelessly and tossed my t-shirt aside. "I'd never get to sleep otherwise. You have no idea how hard you make me without even trying."

"Well, in that case," she said, pursing her lips as her thumbs hooked around the straps on her hips, lowering the skimpy underwear down her legs. "I think you owe me an orgasm or two before you get _any_ form of relief tonight. So I'm just going to make myself comfortable."

My eyes widened slightly as a devious smile grew on her face along with her statement. The walls of her apartment passed in a blur behind her as she moved, until the familiar sight of her bed came into view. She set her laptop down on the mattress, teasing me with the last piece of clothing she wore, just as she had the very first time I actually laid eyes on her all those months before. And in the same setting as well.

"I want to see you. _All_ of you. So I can see your hands at all times," she said in a gravelly voice, heavy with arousal as she lowered the strap of her bra torturously slow. "I want _nothing_ obscuring my vision of your cock while I imagine it inside of me, not even those amazing fingers. So the boxers have got to go, too."

I felt my breaths leaving my body heavily, though I hardly noticed the tightness it caused in my chest. I began rolling my chair back, each movement inciting a 'more' from Bella's lips, until I was at just the right distance for her. Watching her take charge was so fucking hot, but I was also physically aching for her, and knowing that I would be watching her with no relief … it was likely to kill me.

Bella hummed contentedly, lowering one side of her bra to reveal her breast as she watched me stand to remove my boxer briefs. "That's something I'll never grow tired of. It's like hitting the jackpot every time."

I began to roll my eyes, but caught the sight of her lying back on the bed, running her fingertips over her bare breast. My hands gripped the arms of my chair firmly as I sat back down, watching her circle around her nipple and return her eyes to me.

"I really have missed you so much," she whispered, her hands rising to the front of her bra and unlatching the clasp there. The two sides fell away and her back arched as she slid it from her body, tossing it above her head. "I miss you touching me, kissing me, _fucking_ me until nothing else in the world exists."

I watched Bella's fingers slither down her body and slip inside her with the last words to leave her lips. An audible gasp filled my ears and caused my cock to send another painful reminder to my brain that there was a beautiful, naked woman on my screen—and I was doing nothing about it. "You're killing me, baby."

A smirk tugged at her lips and she shook her head, rolling toward the camera. "I haven't even begun, _baby_," she replied, repeating my sentiment and then shifting her body so that the camera was directly between her legs. My grip tightened on the arms of my chair, as it became all the more difficult to restrain myself, when her fingers slid along her clit and began circling it in a tantalizing motion. "_Now_ I've begun. And don't you dare touch that cock."

I clenched my jaw, watching her as she pleasured herself in front of me; all the while, her eyes remained focused on the screen. "And if I do?"

"There will be consequences," she replied breathlessly.

Leaning forward in my chair with my elbows on the armrests, I shook my head. "I don't think there will."

"Dare to try me?" she challenged with a calm voice, but the motion of her hand spoke in contradiction as it increased in speed against her; this was _exactly_ what she wanted.

"I think I do," I replied, nodding as my hand loosened its grip on the chair and moved to my cock. I kept it still, torturing myself but also sparking a fire inside her, and her eyes narrowed. "Not a damn thing you can do about it, is there, sweetheart?"

"Oh … God!" she growled through clenched teeth, her eyes closing tightly. "You just wait."

Her heavy pants removed all conviction from her attempted threat, her breasts rising and falling in rhythm with each breath. "I'm trembling, Bella," I stated sarcastically with a cocky grin and my hand began its movement. "I don't think you'd want to carry it through even if you _were_ here to stop me. Then again, I'd be buried inside you and making you come before you had a chance to give it any thought."

Bella moaned a loud "fuck!" and her half-lidded eyes pinched shut, at which my motions increased. I closed my own briefly in the sheer pleasure of the moment before returning my gaze to her. "One month … three weeks … four days … _shit_!"

Watching Bella in the midst of orgasm had always been a beautiful and fascinating sight to me. But hearing her count down the time we had left before we'd finally be together again at the same time … it quickly became my breaking point as well. I felt the pit of my stomach coil, the tendons in my neck flex, and the warm flush surge through my body before I released a resonating groan with my climax.

Nothing and no one could ever make me come the way Bella did; even the memories of her I'd been coaxing out of the back of my mind every single night. Nothing compared to staring into those beautiful green eyes, taking in the exact shape of those full pouty lips and every curve of her gorgeous body.

My eyes remained closed for several moments as I fought to regain myself, but I finally looked up to find her sprawled across her bed, almost appearing as if she were sleeping. "Bella?"

"You think you could call about that apartment tomorrow while I'm at school, since you're off?" she asked, yet only her lips moved and her voice was soft. "The closer I am to you, the better. This is torture."

I chuckled lightly and her eyes finally opened, a smile slowly spreading across her lips. I reached down for the clean towel I still kept in my drawer, nodding as I wiped down my chest. "Yeah, I can take care of that for you."

"Thank you," she whispered, her eyes slipping closed again.

I thought about saying goodnight right then and letting her sleep, but one thing kept nagging at my thoughts. "Baby?" I stated softly, rolling closer to the desk and she hummed in response. "_Nothing_? All this time?"

"I fibbed," Bella replied and her lips began twitching in restraint of a smile. My eyes widened and she laughed when she finally looked at me. "There's no way I couldn't. I see you every night, too, Edward."

I sighed, running my hand through my hair as I continued to gaze at her face. She was so much different from the girl who'd messaged me in drunken randomness months before, and I was nowhere near the same man.

I'd experienced true happiness and love, as well as heartbreak and despair; everything I'd never taken the time to experience or even acknowledge its existence. For the first time, I wasn't fitting a relationship into a career, but finding a way for the two parts of myself to co-exist.

And as for Bella—gone was the nervous, unsure girl who'd logged on that second night, finally sober. In her place was a beautiful, confident woman, taking charge of her life for the first time. Even after her attack, once she got her feet on the ground and her attacker in custody, she persevered—where six months before, she still might have crumbled.

Nothing in our lives was perfect, nor would it ever be. We'd both finally come to the realization that it didn't _need_ to be in order for us to be perfectly _content_ within it.

"I love you, Bella." I whispered, watching her eyes fighting to stay open. "You should get some sleep."

Bella reluctantly nodded and sat up. "I'll talk to you tomorrow. I love you, too, Edward. Goodnight."

And with one last kiss blown from her fingertips, my screen went black.

**End Note: All that's left now is the epilogue, which I hope to have completed in relatively short order. Even though it will be difficult to say goodbye to this story and its characters, it's been an amazing ride to write them and watch them grow. So thank you all for riding along with me. **


	24. Epilogue

**A/N: Firstly and foremost, I would like to thank every single one of my readers for the amazing support I've received in the last year and a half or so since I posted the very first chapter of this story. It honestly started off as just something fun to do while I was still writing ABC, in the midst of all the angst that was going on at the time, and it just grew into something that I became more passionate about than I ever intended. You all have been so incredible and patient with me through all the hecticness and delays in updates due to several RL issues that have bombarded me, and I really don't think there are words to express how absolutely grateful I am to you all for it. I have felt so incredibly blessed to have the amazing readers that I do, so thank you so so much.**

**Secondly, again I apologize it's taken me so long to finish this last chapter. The finished product I am posting tonight is the fifth rewrite, as the first four attempts at it didn't even meet **_**my**_** expectations for it. And I felt both the characters and you the readers deserved way more than that. Then as luck would have it, I became ill for a few weeks and then my computer died, and I was off the grid for a few more weeks. Thank god for Dropbox, that's all I'm saying. And I want to thank those who sent me the sweet pms and messages on Twitter, they were very much appreciated. **

**So you may have noticed that the word count on this thing is pretty damn high for me. I swear, I blame my computer dying and having to resort to notebooks for a few weeks. The characters just wouldn't stop talking. And Starbucks, for playing two songs by John Lennon ("Woman" and "Jealous Guy") that in a lot of ways, fit this Edward very well, and just inspired so much of this chapter.**

**Thank you one more time to my amazing friends and prereaders for the all your support and going above and beyond for me more times than I can count. You're all amazing and I love you all *hugs and smooches***

**Lastly, I will be compiling Late Night Encounters into a pdf file, with all the author notes and everything cleaned out and re-edited, for anyone who wishes to have a copy. You can PM or email me, and I will get back to you as quickly as possible. **

**Thanks again everyone, and hope to see you all again soon. :)  
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**Late Night Encounters Epilogue **

_Just crossed the state line. So sick of driving already. See you after work. Love you._

The moment my phone vibrated in my pocket that morning at work, my heart began to race without even looking down at it. I knew it was Bella, and she was just that much closer. After all the daily conversations that lasted well into the night, texts through my long hours at work, and months of waiting, the day had finally come for Bella's arrival in Chicago.

After finishing up the sutures on a nine year old girl's finger, I took advantage of the slow morning in the ER and headed down to the cafeteria to eat and read her message.

_I can't wait to see you. Be home by 7:30. Love you too baby._

I was acutely aware that the knowledge that she was so close would make the remainder of my twelve-hour shift drag, but it would be worth it. At the end of the day, I would be going home to Bella.

"Been seeing a lot of that smile lately," Nurse Banner remarked as she startled me by sitting down across table. I watched the wrinkles deepen around her eyes with her kind smile as I fought my own from widening and shrugged. "Wouldn't have anything to do with a certain little brunette I've seen on your desk, would it?"

"Yeah, my girlfriend just graduated from UCLA and is moving here this weekend," I replied and slid my phone back into my pocket. "She'll be here tonight."

"I'd always wondered when a good one would snatch you up," she spoke softly before taking a bite of her sandwich. "Guess that explains why the illustrious Dr. Cullen, who almost never takes time off, will be on vacation next week?"

I chuckled softly and nodded, shifting my food around the plate. It felt strange to be talking about Bella with someone besides Emmett, which even that had dwindled to occasional phone calls since his move to LA. Though disappointing to have our friends so far away, for both Bella and myself, Emmett's visit to the city had sparked a love for it in him. And after much convincing by him that California would hold more opportunities for Rose than Chicago, she relented. He'd come back long enough to put in his notice with the hospital and pack up his apartment before he was "back to the Mrs."

Yet, I hadn't realized how much of a secret my girlfriend of five months had actually been, as it was not my intention. Few people had entered my office to see her pictures on my desk, and even fewer had been around me as I spoke to her on the phone during my breaks. I'd never been an overly social person to begin with, so it didn't seem out of the ordinary that I hadn't talked to anyone else about her. However, sitting across from someone and having a conversation about my girlfriend felt good – _really_ good.

"You deserve it, Dr. Cullen. It's nice to see you distracted by something _not_ involving this hospital once in a while," she said with a soft giggle, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

I shifted slightly in my chair and drew in a deep breath. I knew I'd changed a lot in the past few months—pushing my breaks to the very last second, just for a few more moments to talk to Bella, when I'd rarely taken more than a couple minutes before. Looking forward to the ends of my shifts and going home, rather than approaching it as something I _needed_ to do. However, I wasn't aware it had been noticeable to others as well. "That bad, huh?"

"No, not _bad_. Just … different. It's actually been nice to see you not driving yourself into the ground finally," she replied, reaching across the table to rest her hand on mine. "You're an excellent doctor, one of a kind. Everyone knows that. And in my twenty-five years here, I'd be hard pressed to remember a better one. But there's more to life than these sterile walls, and we'd all hate to see you burn yourself out before you realized that."

The older woman's words continued to ring in my ears, even as she stood and walked away to return to work. I hadn't realized how much I actually _was_ burning myself out before Bella stumbled into my life. She was my angel in so many ways, and more than I ever deserved. And I knew _exactly_ how lucky I was to have her.

The hours ticked by like days as I returned to work, moving from bed to bed and wishing more than ever for seven o'clock to arrive. My anxiety grew more when I didn't hear anything else from Bella, even long after she should have already arrived at my apartment.

When my phone finally buzzed again in my pocket around six, I sighed heavily in relief as I looked at the received text.

_Please tell me Chicago traffic is not always this bad. I could walk faster than this._

She was in Chicago. Exactly where didn't matter at that moment, just that she was _there_.

_Just pay attention to the road. I'll see you soon, _I typed back as I moved to the next patient and offered Nurse Banner a small smile and a wink as we passed each other. I swore I heard her laugh softly behind me and I looked back to see her giving me a thumbs up before settling back into the seat at her desk.

After a seemingly endless array of the "start of summer" influx of patients streamed into the ER near the end of my shift, I was relieved when I glanced down at my watch for what had to be the hundredth time in an hour.

6:59. One more minute, and then I couldn't get out of there fast enough.

"Have a nice vacation, Dr. Cullen," Nurse Banner said with a chuckle as she walked by while I was hanging my coat in the locker.

"That's the plan," I replied with a smile, closing the door quickly and waving goodnight to her on the way out.

I counted every street sign that passed, tapping my fingers impatiently on the steering wheel at every stop light. The reality that I would actually be seeing Bella that night hit me with full force, but even the short distance to my apartment was excruciating. I wanted nothing more than to touch her, hold her against me, and inhale her scent; everything I'd missed so much, it hurt.

When I finally pulled into the parking lot of my apartment complex, I anxiously began scanning each space for her car. As I parked mine in front of my building, I grabbed my phone from my pocket as I stepped out. Just as I was about to start dialing, I spotted a set of headlights coming toward me and paused.

I closed my door and watched as the car slowed, pulling into the space beside mine and shutting off. My smile grew the instant I caught the hint of a loose brown ponytail peeking up above the door and I began moving around my car toward her.

Bella finally turned to face me and a tired smile appeared on her face, her shoulders visibly relaxing the moment her eyes met mine. "I made it."

Without hesitating long enough to respond, I closed the distance between us and swept her into my arms. She laughed, clinging around my neck as I lifted her from the ground and spun her around, burying my face in her neck. "Oh God, you're here. You're _finally_ here."

Bella's fingers wove into my hair, wrapping her legs around my hips and hanging onto me tightly. We remained wrapped around each other for several silent moments until her body began to tremble in my arms. I lifted my face to look at her and she kissed along my cheek, meeting my eyes briefly with her tear-filled ones before pressing her lips against the corner of my mouth.

"Hi," she said in barely above a whisper, tracing her fingertips along my jaw.

"Hi," I teased and she giggled against my lips as I sealed them over hers. Slowly, they parted and we both moaned in contentment as her tongue glided along mine. The kiss was passionate, yet not demanding; signifying it among every other kiss we'd shared. There was no more racing against the clock or saying a long goodbye ever again. Nothing but enjoying every moment we had together.

We slowly pulled apart and our foreheads leaned together, her fingers running along the back of my neck.

"What took you so long?" I sighed jokingly, my eyes still closed as I reveled in the feel of her in my arms a little longer.

"Sorry, but one speeding ticket in Denver was more than enough," she murmured and unwound her legs from around me.

My eyes shot open and I felt my brow crease as I looked at her, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. "A speeding ticket? You never mentioned a speeding ticket."

Bella shrugged as I lowered her feet to the ground. "I didn't want you to worry that I wasn't being safe. It wasn't by much. I was just in a hurry to see my man."

My hands rose to hold her face between them and I kissed her softly. "I'm not going anywhere, baby."

Her smile returned and she lifted onto her toes to brush her lips gently against mine. "As much as I'd love to stand here all night in your arms, I doubt your neighbors would appreciate the view much."

I chuckled and wrapped my arm around her shoulders, pressing my lips to her temple. "On the contrary, I think they would enjoy the view of a beautiful woman in their parking lot entirely too _much_."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Cullen," Bella laughed as she hugged herself against my side. "I've been in that car since I left the motel last night and I'm in _desperate_ need of a shower."

"You're still the most beautiful thing in my life, baby," I whispered, unable to resist kissing her one more time as we reached my door. We entered my apartment and I flipped on the light, finally able to take her in fully. "So damn beautiful."

Bella slid her arms around my waist and pressed her face against my chest, releasing an embarrassed laugh as her stomach growled.

"Have you eaten at all today?" I asked in concern, looking down at her hiding her face in my shirt.

"No, I was hoping to get here in time to shower and make you dinner before you got home, so I didn't stop," she mumbled grumpily. "Can see how well _that_ worked out."

I smiled at the muttered grumble under her breath and ran my hands along her arms. "Don't worry about that. Just go take a shower and I'll order some food."

"I need to get my bags," she said and started for the door, but I grabbed her hand and pulled her back.

"Like you've never raided my clothes before?" I teased, tugging lightly on the shirt she was wearing—_my_ t-shirt. She bit her lip with a blush and looked down, nodding slowly. "Just go take a shower and relax. We can deal with all that in the morning before we leave."

"Tomorrow. Right. Parents," Bella said nervously, her body tensing slightly.

"Baby, you have less to worry about tomorrow than I do, believe me. My mother has been waiting to meet you for months, and she never misses an opportunity to remind me of that." I lifted her chin with the tips of my fingers and kissed her gently before she pulled away and headed for the bedroom.

I'd just closed the door and was carrying the bag of Chinese takeout into the kitchen when Bella walked out and settled onto the couch. Her head leaned back and she closed her eyes, releasing a slow breath.

"It feels _so_ good to sit somewhere other than my car." Her voice came out in something akin to a moan and I gazed at her from the kitchen while I plated our food.

Dressed in nothing more than a pair of my shorts and a t-shirt, her wet hair clinging to the skin of her neck and shoulders, she'd never looked sexier—even through her obvious exhaustion.

"Are you going to make it through dinner?" I asked with a light laugh as I sat beside her, setting our plates on the coffee table.

"Mmm hmm. Just give me a minute," she murmured with a slight nod.

I smiled and stabbed a piece of chicken with the fork and held it to her lips. "Open."

Bella laughed tiredly and opened her eyes. "Edward, you don't have to feed me."

"Oh, humor me and open. You need to eat," I replied with a chuckle.

Bella rolled her eyes with a smile and took the fork into her mouth, and then closed them again as she chewed. Her hand rested on my thigh and ran slowly along the denim, turning her head to look at me. "I can't believe I'm really here. I thought today would never come."

"Me too," I whispered, tracing along her cheek with the backs of my fingers before leaning toward her and kissing her gently. Her hand rose to cup my jaw and hold me against her, taking my bottom lip between hers and pulling me closer. "Baby, we have all night."

"I know," she sighed against my lips, her fingers trailing down my neck and chest until her hand fell to my lap. "I've just missed you so much. It's been a _long _three months."

"I've missed you, too, baby. But you need to eat. Doctor's orders," I replied and she lightly slapped my thigh with a laugh, mumbling a 'not _my_ doctor' under her breath as she finally sat up to eat.

Once we finished dinner, I brought our plates to the sink and by the time I returned, Bella's eyes were already closed again. Her chest rose and fell in slow, even breaths and she looked so peaceful, I hated the thought of waking her up, even to bring her to bed.

I made my way over to the couch, running my fingers lightly along her arm to wake her without startling her too much. Her eyes flew open and she sat up quickly, rubbing her hands over her face briskly.

"Sorry, guess I'm just more tired than I thought," she mumbled, taking my hand and gently tugging me down to her.

"Nothing to apologize for. Let's go to bed," I whispered against her lips, sliding my arms underneath her to lift her off the couch.

Bella's head rested on my shoulders and her fingers toyed lightly with the hair at my neck. "But it's barely even nine."

I chuckled, leaning my cheek against her hair as we entered the bedroom. "And you just drove a couple thousand miles over the last few days. I'm pretty sure I can forgive you for being tired."

As I set her down on the bed, she immediately curled into the covers while I stood to undress and then climbed in beside her. She rolled over to face me, snuggling into my arms and draping her leg over mine.

Her eyes opened sleepily and she brushed her lips softly against mine. "But we haven't made love yet, either."

"Enough 'buts'," I murmured, kissing her forehead and hugging her against my chest. "I plan on making love to you every single night I can. But I doubt it would do either of us any good if you fell asleep halfway through."

"That was a 'but'," she grumbled, sliding her arm around my waist and pressing her body closer to me.

"Just sleep," I whispered, running my hand soothingly over her hair, but she never responded again. And her soft snores soon followed.

**x-x-x**

Bella fidgeted in the passenger seat throughout the entire twenty-minute drive to visit my parents, twisting her fingers in her lap until we pulled to a stop in front of the house. She released a sharp gasp when I reached over to rest my hand over hers and gave them a gentle squeeze, her head spinning quickly to look at me.

"Baby, relax. You're not being dragged to an executioner," I said gently and her hands loosened minimally on each other.

"I know. Just … what if they don't like me? What if I trip and fall flat on my face, and embarrass the hell out of myself," she replied with hastened breaths, leaning her head back against the headrest.

I linked my fingers with hers and brought her hand to my lips, kissing it gently. "Bella, you just spoke to my mother this morning on the phone. Did it _really _sound like she doesn't like you?"

"There's a _big_ difference between talking on the phone and meeting face-to-face," she sighed and her gaze returned out the window. "I mean, am I _really _what she envisioned for her son? Her _only_ child?"

"Am I what _your_ father envisioned for _his_ little girl?" I asked pointedly, keeping her hand in mine as I rested it on my thigh. "You make me happy, Bella. That's all that really matters to either of them. Okay?"

Bella took a deep breath and nodded, gazing up at the house one more time. Her fingers gripped mine tightly and she still made no motion to get out of the car.

I turned her face toward me and leaned in to kiss her gently. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she whispered against my lips, her eyes remaining closed for a moment as she slowly exhaled her held breath and then finally looked at me again. "Okay, I'm ready now."

I smiled and released her hand to step out of the car, reclaiming it in mine as we met at the front.

The door of the house swung open and my mother emerged from inside with a wide smile on her face. She came toward us and embraced me, and I hugged her tightly in return.

"Happy Birthday, sweetheart," she cried, standing on her toes to kiss my cheek before pulling away and looking to the woman at my side. "This must be Bella. You're even prettier than your picture."

Bella laughed nervously as my mother embraced her as tightly as she had me, her cheeks coloring in embarrassment at the compliment. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Cullen."

My mother pulled back with tears in her eyes, holding Bella's face between her hands. "And it's _so_ wonderful to finally meet you. I was beginning to think my son would _never_ smarten up and settle down."

"Mom," I groaned, running my hand through my hair.

"Well, it's the truth," my mother replied in a non-chalant tone, shrugging and looking back to Bella. "And please just call me Esme."

"So, where's Dad?" I asked, changing the subject upon noticing the absence of my father's car.

My mother kept her arm around Bella's shoulders as she escorted us into the house, almost as if afraid that she would disappear if she let her go—a feeling I was _all_ too familiar with. "Oh, he'll be back. I just sent him out to pick up a few things for me."

**x-x-x**

While my mother retreated to the kitchen to finish lunch, I walked outside to find Bella staring out at the back yard from the same footbridge I'd stood on months before, pondering what an ass I'd been. I walked along the edge of the water until I reached her, sliding my arms around her waist from behind and pressing my lips to her hair. "What are you doing out here?"

"Just thinking," she replied softly, leaning back against me as the soft breeze blew her soft locks over my cheek. "You didn't tell me you were _this_ rich. I don't think I've ever seen a house that big in my _life_, except in pictures. You could put two of my bedrooms back home into your _kitchen_. How am I supposed to fit into all this?"

I gazed at her profile for a moment before turning her in my arms to face me. "Okay, first of all, my _parents_ have the money, not me."

Bella rolled her eyes and shook her head, resting her hands on my chest. "It's the same thing, Edward."

"No, it's not," I replied, taking her face in my hands. "And even if it was, it wouldn't matter. _We_ fit, right? That's all that counts."

Bella shifted nervously, bringing her eyes to meet mine with a deep breath and nodding. I smiled and leaned in to kiss her until our peaceful moment was interrupted.

"Hey, loser! Quit making out with your girlfriend and get up here so I can wish my friend a happy birthday," a familiar, boisterous voice echoed across the yard and I turned to find Emmett and Rosalie standing on the back porch beside my father. "Surprise!"

Taking Bella's hand, we walked toward them, where I was immediately engulfed in a hug. "What the hell are you doing here, you brute?"

Emmett's laugh joined mine as he pulled away, smacking my shoulder in the process while the girls shared an emotional embrace. "Like I'd miss my best friend's birthday and your mom's cooking? Do you not know me at _all_?"

"Yeah, I'm practically killing him with mine, to hear him tell it," Rose piped in as she released Bella, turning to wrap her arms around me instead. "So glad you finally pulled your head out of your ass."

I looked to Emmett as her shoulders began to tremble and her grip tightened on me.

"Hormones," he mouthed and my eyes widened.

"You guys are pregnant?" Bella asked in shock, looking between them.

Rose pulled away from me and glanced at Emmett. "No, _I'm_ pregnant. He was just along for the ride in the fun part."

"Congratulations. Both of you," I added as Rose's eyes turned to glare at me. I quickly took Bella's hand while Emmett wrapped his arms around his wife's shoulders, turning toward my father and clearing my throat at his expectant gaze. "Dad, this is Bella."

"Pleasure to meet you, Bella," my dad replied with a smile, taking her hand and leaning in to kiss her cheek, and then looked back to me. "Your mother said lunch is just about ready."

**x-x-x**

Back at my apartment that night, I sat on my bed and ran over the day's events in my mind. Once Rosalie arrived, Bella seemed more at ease, and by that evening, the two women were chatting and laughing with my mother as if they were old friends. Her smile returned and even grew whenever her eyes would meet mine, where I stood talking with my father and Emmett.

"Marry this one. She's a keeper," was my father's parting statement, whispered to me as we were leaving, eying me meaningfully from the doorway as we began making our way down the driveway.

The bathroom door opening broke me from my train of thought, and Bella stepped out with her hands behind her back.

"Okay, so I had _no _idea what to get you for your birthday," she started with a heavy sigh, walking toward the bed and kneeling on the end of the mattress. "I know you said I didn't have to, but I really did. Even with everything we've been through in the last nine months or so, it's still been the best nine months of my life. And if nothing else, I wanted to say thank you, and I love you. So, Happy Birthday."

I watched as her hand came out from behind her and held out a red envelope. I sat up and folded my legs in front of me, taking it from her and shaking my head. "Bella, the best birthday present I've _ever_ gotten is sitting right here in front of me."

"Just open it," she replied with a soft laugh, gesturing toward the envelope.

Sliding my finger underneath the loose flap, I lifted it and pulled out the contents. It was a generic birthday card, but what was inside caused my forehead to crease slightly. "A key?"

Bella held her breath and nodded, releasing it shakily. "To my apartment. I know it's probably stupid and pointless, since you'll most likely _never _have to use it. I guess it's more of a symbolic thing. Just because we _live_ apart doesn't mean I want to _be_ apart. I think we've done enough of that."

Her eyes nervously rose to meet mine as I gazed at her in stunned bewilderment, until my smile broke through and I wove my free hand into her hair. Pulling her gently toward me, I felt her fingers run along my thighs while mine curled around the back of her neck as our lips met, our kiss deepening with soft moans echoing from both of us.

"My birthday was damn near flawless before," I whispered breathlessly as my lips broke away from hers, opening my eyes to gaze at her beautiful face. "Thank you for making it absolutely perfect."

"It's just a key, Edward. It's no gold watch or World Series tickets or anything," Bella replied with an uncomfortable laugh, listing through the gifts I'd received from my family and Emmett.

"It's _not_ 'just a key', Bella," I said, wrapping my arms around her and turning our bodies to lay her on the bed, hovering above her and brushing her lips softly with mine again. "It's _your_ key, and your trust. That means more to me than anything. And I promise to earn it every single day from here on out."

Bella gazed up at me with an adoring look in her eyes as she traced her fingertips along my face. Her arms slowly made their way around my shoulders, bringing my lips back to hers in a silent acceptance and sliding her foot along my calf. "Why don't you open the rest of your present?"

My brow furrowed as my eyes glanced once again to the card I still held until she turned my chin with her fingers to look at her, trailing them down her throat to the skin exposed by the parting of her satin robe. Realization dawned on me as I watched their path and then looked up to the mischievous smirk on her lips. I felt every muscle in my face relax at once as I propped my head on my hand while the other swept down the valley between her breasts to the tie of her robe. Her arms fell to either side of her head as the two ends came free and I parted the fabric to find her completely naked underneath. "I stand corrected. _Now_ it's perfect."

Bella's laugh filled the room as I buried my face in the crook of her neck with a deep groan, sliding my arms underneath her and rolling us over until she was straddling my hips. She sat up and allowed the fabric of her robe to fall from her shoulders, my eyes trailing over every inch of her skin as it became exposed. Drawing in a slow breath, her hands covered mine as they ran over her stomach and up to her breasts, her tongue moistening her lower lip as my thumbs brushed her nipples. Her fingertips traced down my arms as she exhaled with her head tilted back in pleasure, raising it again as they ran up my chest and neck until they cradled my face, her lips lowering to meet mine and her hips rolling against me.

I groaned deep in my throat as my hands moved down her sides, gripping her thighs and fighting every urge inside me to flip her over again and bury myself within her. Every rock of her body as she kissed down my neck caused a rush to flow through me until I felt her warmth disappear, except for the soft brushes of her lips. My fingers weaved into her hair as she reached my abdomen, trailing her chin lightly along the waistband of my pants and looking up at me with heavily lidded eyes. "Bella…"

Her hands rested on my hips to hold them down as they involuntarily lifted from the bed toward her, wanting her so badly, I could barely contain myself. "Relax, baby. Let me spoil you a little for your birthday."

Her words only added to the tension, the desperate need to feel every inch of her.

My eyes closed and my neck arched back into the pillow as she sealed her lips over my erection through the fabric, massaging me from base to tip. In a torturously slow movement, she hooked her fingers into the sides of my pants, pulling them over my hips and down my legs until she removed them completely and tossed them to the floor. I opened my eyes again when I felt her breasts brush against my shins as she placed light kisses on each of my knees.

"So, what would you like for your birthday, Edward?" she purred in a sultry voice, taking my cock in her hand and stroking me slowly. My voice stalled in my throat at the feel of her soft skin against mine and shook my head with heavy pants escaping me. "Tell me."

"I've already gotten it, baby."

"Oh, well. Then I guess I can stop, if that's the case," Bella taunted as she began pulling away and I grabbed her free hand, shaking my head again. "Then tell me."

"Mouth. I want to feel your mouth first," I finally managed to gasp as her fingertips returned to caress the head of my erection.

"I was hoping you'd say that," Bella whispered, tracing her tongue along the underside before taking me between her lips. Her warm mouth engulfed me until I hit the back of her throat and she began to pull back, meeting my eyes briefly as she circled the tip with her tongue and then glided back down.

"Shit, Bella," I breathed out heavily, my fingers clenching the comforter beneath me to keep from thrusting my hips against the heavenly feel of her mouth. Her tongue and lips continued to massage me until I began feeling the tightening in my gut and I brought my hands to her face. "Baby, I'm gonna come."

Bella gazed up at me, lifting her head as her fingers wrapped around the base of my cock again. "Isn't that the point?"

"Inside you. I want to be inside you," I replied with a groan, taking her free hand at my hip in mine and tugging gently. With one final brush of her lips against me, she crawled back up my body and straddled my hips again, and I groaned with the feel of her warm, slickened skin gliding against me.

"As you wish," she whispered, guiding me to her entrance and lowering onto me. She moaned as I slowly filled her, pressing her lips to mine as our bodies joined together fully.

"Oh God. Fuck," I muttered breathlessly, my fingers gripping her ass to press deeper and thrust up to her. It felt like forever since I'd felt anything as euphoric as the sensation of her surrounding me, even though it had actually been only a few months. That I could hear her soft breaths and moans, feel her skin against mine, and see with every look how much she loved me. And I wanted to relish in every moment.

"All in due time, baby," she murmured, taking my bottom lip between hers and tugging lightly before she sat up.

Leaning back, her hands rested on my thighs and gripped them firmly as her hips began to move over me, gradually increasing in speed and urgency. My eyes locked on where our bodies joined, watching as my cock repeatedly disappeared inside her and I released a heavy breath. I brought my hand between her legs, circling with my fingertips and her head fell back with a gasp.

"Edward … this isn't … about me … fuck!" she growled, biting down on her lip hard. "It's supposed … to be for… you."

"It is," I replied in a gravelly tone, increasing the pressure of my fingertips against her. "I want to watch you come."

Bella released a throaty groan, arching her back more as her hips thrust down against mine. Her nails began to dig into the skin of my thighs and I hissed at the resulting pinch, driving myself into her more insistently. "God, yes!"

I watched her body begin to tremble as she growled through clenched teeth, and my hands moved to grasp her hips to hold her still. Her muscles went rigid as her orgasm swept over her, my thrusts forcing heavy pants to escape her parted lips with her eyes squeezed tight. As she began to go limp in my hold, I pulled her down to me and rolled us over to settle between her legs, gazing down at her flushed face.

"Best birthday present ever," I whispered against her lips. I felt her arms slide around my back, her leg bending at my hip and pressing me deep inside her. She tightened her embrace around me as I began to move again, soft moans filling the air and I could not take my eyes off her. "God, you're so fucking beautiful."

Bella's eyes opened to gaze up at me, her fingertips tracing lightly over my shoulder blades. I kept my movements slow, watching each breath that escaped her with every thrust. "More."

Rising up on my elbows, I gripped the pillow beneath her head with my hands and drove into her with a new sense of urgency. I was rewarded with a long, lingering moan escaping her and I could feel my muscles begin to tighten with my impending orgasm. "Shit … Bella …"

Her nails dragged along my back as she arched against me, gripping at my lower back until my breath caught and I released inside her. My body slowly relaxed and I collapsed on top of her, feeling her fingers run through my dampened hair as her breaths began to calm as well. We lay silently for several minutes, touching and brushing soft kisses against each other's skin before I rolled off her and she immediately curled against my side.

My heart raced rapidly against her cheek and I pulled the blankets over us when she shivered against the breeze ghosting over our bodies from the ceiling fan above. Her head tilted to look up at me and I gently brushed away the hair clinging to her face, tucking it behind her ear.

"I love you," Bella whispered, arching her neck more to bring her lips to mine.

"I love you, too," I whispered against her lips, pulling her body more firmly against my side. "Thank you."

"For what?" she replied with a soft chuckle, running her finger along my jaw.

"For not giving up on me," I said seriously as I gazed into her eyes, her smile faltering slightly before meeting my lips with hers.

"Never."

**x-x-x**

_Six months later_

The snow fell heavily around me as I stepped out of the hospital and drew in a deep breath of the biting air, fighting the tears gathering in my eyes and the anger boiling beneath the surface. I needed to collect myself before I got into my car and drove home, where Bella would be waiting for me to go out for the evening as we did every Friday after work.

_It's part of my lot as a doctor,_ I reminded myself, but for the first time in as long as I could remember, it wasn't working.

I released a loud growl and drove my fist into the side of the nearby dumpster, hearing footsteps closing in quickly from behind me. Firm hands gripped my shoulders and pulled me back, despite my struggle to break free.

"Dr. Cullen, there was nothing more you could do. She was too far gone before she even got to us," Nurse Banner's soothing voice attempted to calm me, gripping her arms securely around my chest.

"It was senseless! I could kill that son of a bitch!" I yelled out, uncaring to who else could hear me at that moment.

"Edward," she spoke softly, tightening her hold on me. "As much as I agree with you, you know you have to let it go."

I allowed her to guide me to sit on the bench beside us and leaned my head back, feeling her hand running along my arm. "How? How do you let something like this go?"

Nurse Banner sighed heavily, her eyes lowering. "I don't know. But we all need to if we ever hope to keep doing our jobs." She paused, taking my hand in hers and releasing a sharp gasp. "You're bleeding. Come back inside and let me clean you up."

I sat up and shook my head, flexing my fingers painfully against my swollen knuckles. "No, I can't go back in there tonight. Not while that bastard still breathes in my ER, when..."

I trailed off and her arm wrapped around my shoulders. "Then will you at least let me call you a cab? You shouldn't be driving in this condition, and certainly not on these roads."

"No," I replied, clearing my throat and rubbing the heels of my palms over my eyes. "Thank you, but I'll be fine. I should really just get home to Bella."

"All right, if you're sure?" she conceded reluctantly and I met her eyes with a nod. She stood from the bench and pulled on her gloves, resting her hand on my shoulder for a moment before making her way out to her car.

I remained for a moment longer, attempting to calm and slow my breaths before methodically walking out to the parking lot. The only things keeping me aware of my actions all the way home was the cold air blasting my face from the open window and my desire to get to Bella. We could go out, I could focus on her and I wouldn't have to think about the horrific experience of that evening for another two days before I had to return to the hospital.

I could hear the music from inside my apartment along with Bella's slightly off-key voice singing along as I made my way up the stairs. Her happiness and carefree mood practically radiated through the wood door and I found myself sliding down the wall to the floor, my head in my hands. How could I walk in there and shatter that beautiful sound? And on the same token, how could I manage to go in and pretend that nothing was wrong?

Suddenly, the music inside silenced and the door opened, and I lowered my head between my bent knees only a second before she emerged.

"Edward? What are you doing out here, and why are you on the floor? Are you hurt?" Bella's soft voice rang above me and I found it impossible to respond. My hands drove further into my hair until my arms encased the back of my head, folding into myself. Despite my efforts to keep myself composed, my eyes burned and my shoulders began to shake. I felt her knees brush against my thigh as she knelt beside me, her hand running up and down my back. "Baby, you're scaring me. Are you okay?"

I could only shake my head slowly from side to side, my arms folding in front of me and propped on my knees, still keeping my face hidden from her. She pulled me gently into her arms and I rested my head against her chest, feeling her lips press against my hair. "I lost a patient tonight. I just need a few minutes and then I'll change so we can go."

"Oh God, Edward," Bella said with a shuddering breath, holding me more tightly against her and my arms moved to cling around her waist. "We're not going anywhere. I'll call and cancel the reservations, and then we can sit down and talk while I bandage that hand of yours."

"Bella, I can't. I just can't," I replied, the dam inside my chest finally bursting from the pressure that had been building for over an hour.

When I'd been forced to cease compressions, hearing the words repeating over and over in my ears…

"_Call, it, Dr. Cullen. She's not coming back. Call it!"_

_My eyes remained frozen on the lifeless form in front of me, the incessant tone of the flatline on the monitor drowning into the background as I backed away slowly._

"_Time of death, 18:24," I barely managed to choke out before exiting into the hall and vomiting into the first trashcan I came to._

Never through all the years of my internship and residency had I ever felt so out of control of my emotions, or possessed such a weak constitution—or else I never would have made it through med school.

"It's okay. We don't have to talk about it," Bella whispered softly, brushing my hair back from my face with her fingers. She pressed her lips to my forehead and began to pull away to stand but I gripped tighter around her, holding her still. "Edward, let's just get inside, okay?"

Her gentle voice was soothing and my arms relaxed, allowing her to help me to stand. She kept a hold around my waist as I walked shakily into the apartment, guiding me over to the couch. I fell back into the cushions and covered my face with my hands, listening as Bella made the call to cancel our reservation as she hurried to the bathroom to grab the first aid kit.

When the couch sank beside me, I finally allowed my hands to fall into my lap while Bella removed her heels and tucked her legs beneath her. She remained quiet while she cleaned the abrasions on my knuckles, and I was grateful for the silence. I gazed at her and took in her appearance, feeling a pang of guilt rushing through me. She looked absolutely beautiful in the deep red dress she wore, her hair pulled back off her shoulders and showed the diamond earrings I'd given her for her birthday. It was supposed to be the last night we spent together, just the two of us, before the holiday season began. The following day, we were heading up to my parents' house for the remainder of the weekend to help my mother decorate the house, and I'd be on call all the next week. While she never complained, I knew she was more often than not, very disappointed.

Once she had my hand bandaged, she set the metal box on the coffee table and sat back, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

"I'm sorry about our date tonight, Bella," I finally spoke, leaning my head against her. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

I physically cringed the moment the all too familiar words left my lips, as I'd sworn to never use them again with Bella. I'd said them way too many times in the past for countless broken promises. Yet, she only moved closer to me, pressing her lips to my hair. "Don't apologize, I completely understand. We'll have other nights. Do you want me to get you anything?"

I sat up and shook my head, leaning my elbows on my knees. "Actually, I'd just like to go to bed, if that's okay."

"You want me to go?" she asked in a concerned voice, her hand running gently over my back.

Without even looking up, I quickly draped my arm around her legs to keep her beside me, surprising us both. The thought of being without her that night filled me with a sense of uneasiness, more so than any other night—rare as they were—that we didn't spend together. "Please stay."

"All right," she whispered as she kissed my temple, sending another calming current rushing through me and standing from the couch.

As I rose, I took her hand with my uninjured one, and led her to the bedroom. I undressed quickly and climbed into bed, my mind racing and running over the evening while I waited for her to change. In the past, home would have been the last place I wanted to be, and I would have opted instead for a couple of drinks at the bar, calling Emmett to drive me to my apartment when I'd felt sufficiently numbed. Yet, coming home to Bella was the only thing on my mind, wanting nothing more than to see her face and feel her arms around me. Still, she'd surprised me with her actions.

Bella didn't pressure me to talk, insisting that it would make me feel better to get it out. She didn't make me feel guilty for cancelling our plans for the evening, regardless of how many hours she'd spent getting ready and doing her hair. When she looked at me, I saw nothing but genuine concern, patience and understanding.

And it rendered me speechless.

When she finally climbed into bed with me, I moved behind her before she could turn over, pressing my body against her back and burying my face in the soft waves of her hair. I felt her fingertips trail lightly along my arm to my hand, running gently over the bandage covering my knuckles. "Does it hurt much?"

I sighed and shook my head, securing my arm around her middle. "No, it's fine. It's my own stupid fault for punching the damn dumpster."

Bella's head turned suddenly to look back at me, her fingers closing around my wrist. "You punched a _dumpster_?"

I drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, rolling onto my back and staring at the ceiling. She carefully turned toward me, resting her hand on my chest. My gaze moved to her, watching her eyes flicker over my face nervously. "It's not the first time I've lost a patient. But I couldn't handle this one, Bella. I came closer to throwing my entire career away tonight than I ever thought I possibly could. It was just so … horrible—"

She cut me off with her fingers pressing against my lips, shaking her head. "You don't have to explain yourself to me, Edward."

Taking her hand in mine, I pressed my lips to her fingertips before lowering them back to my chest. "Yes, I do."

Bella took a deep breath, sliding her fingers between mine and rubbing her thumb along the side of my hand. She waited patiently as I swallowed hard, gaining the strength I needed to continue—strength I knew, in that moment, came from her.

"I couldn't save her. I thought it couldn't get any worse than losing a child in the ER, but I was wrong. There's nothing worse than a five year old little girl coming to you coding, and there's not a damn thing you can do for her." By the end of my statement, my teeth were clenched so tight, I was certain they would shatter. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply through my nose, attempting to gain control of my emotions, but it proved futile as I felt the backs of her fingers brush away a tear that had escaped the corner of my eye. "As a doctor, I know I'm supposed to remain emotionally detached. But as a man, I just couldn't. Not when her father, the one man who should have protected her with his life, put her there."

I heard Bella's sharp gasp beside me and I opened my eyes to look over to her, tears spilling down her face as well. I pulled her closer, wrapping my arms around her as her head rested on my chest.

"He was so intoxicated that we could barely understand a word of what he was saying. But he put that beautiful little girl into his car and hit black ice. He got a broken leg and a bump on the head, and she—" My voice froze and I tightened my hold around Bella, her hand curling around my shoulder and her lips pressing against my chest. "And all over a damn custody battle. How can someone be so stupid and selfish? What in the world is more important than your child?"

Bella's eyes rose to my face and I could feel her gaze on me even as mine focused on the ceiling again. I'd never really given a lot of thought to having children myself or being a father, but the night's events brought my entire future flashing before me.

How it would feel to hold my child in my arms for the first time. To watch a little boy or girl take their first unsteady steps. To hear their squealing laughter as I chased them around our backyard, swinging them around once I caught them until we were both dizzy and fell to the ground. The first day of school, the graduation, lying in the silent house for the first time after dropping them off at college, walking my daughter down the aisle toward a man that would never be good enough for her in my eyes, but giving her away regardless because she looks so damn happy.

And in every one of my mind's images, it was Bella's eyes staring back at me from another face. Bella standing beside me and holding my hand in hers, lying next to me, as she was right at that moment, for the rest of my life.

"Edward?" her voice sounded beside me, breaking me from my reverie.

I turned my gaze to her, holding her hand against my chest and looking deeply into her eyes as I spoke to her softly. "Marry me."

**BPOV**

My breath halted at his statement, so completely off topic from what we were previously discussing. Of all the things he could have said, nothing would have taken me by surprise more. I could still see the strain in his face of losing the little girl that night, but his eyes held a look I couldn't decipher and it unnerved me. "Edward, I know you're upset, but…"

He rolled on his side toward me, keeping my hand in his between us and resting his forehead against mine. "Tonight has been the worst night of my career so far, and nothing will ever change it. I know that. But it's also really made me think about what's important. A year ago, a night like this would have found me in a bar, and ended with Emmett carrying me in here after way too many beers. I didn't want that tonight. All I really wanted was to come home to you. And this is the way I want to spend the end of every day, good or bad. With you."

I gazed at him in continued disbelief. While I had no doubts in my desire to spend my life with Edward, I really hadn't expected something so sudden from him. The lease on my apartment was almost up, and we'd barely made the decision for me to move in with him. And even that was after an extended discussion and lots of planning. Spontaneity had never been one of Edward's strong suits in the little over a year that I'd known him, and every instance of it was just as surprising as the one before—but that one was an entirely new level for him.

"Bella?" he whispered after a long silence, his hand closing around mine more firmly and nervousness filling his eyes.

I cleared my throat and propped myself up on my elbow, lifting his hand to my lips and kissing it gently. "I'm not saying no, just not right now. And not because I don't _want_to say yes. I just want it to be for the right reasons."

"It is—"

I cut him off, releasing his hand and pressing my fingers to his lips. He closed his eyes and sighed, his body going lax into the bed. I cupped his jaw and leaned in to kiss him gently. "In two weeks, I'll be here all the time and then you're never getting rid of me." I paused and he released a brief chuckle, his arm sliding around my waist to pull me against him. "You are everything I want, Edward. That's not going to change whether we get married now or ten years from now."

Edward's eyes flew open to look up at me with a stunned expression. "Ten _years_?"

I couldn't help but laugh at the panic in his voice and I stroked his cheek with my fingertips. "I'm not saying it would take ten years for me to say yes. But I'll still be here in ten years _to_say yes, if that's how long it took for us to get to that place," I said softly, lowering myself back down beside him and wrapping my arm around his shoulders. "Give us three months. Once we're living together full time and adjusted, if this is still something you want, ask me again. I want us to do this right."

Edward nodded, pressing his face to my chest and I held him silently for hours. He gradually relaxed and I could practically feel the tension slowly dissipating from his body, his fingers tracing lightly over my skin and absorbing the serenity of the moment. "I really do love you, you know," he mumbled softly as he finally began drifting to sleep.

"I do know," I whispered, pressing my lips to his hair. "And I love you, too."

x-x-x

The following three months passed in a blur. The holidays had been hectic with the birth of Emmett and Rosalie's daughter, Emma, just after Christmas and their visit to show her off shortly thereafter. Alice came to stay with us for a few weeks after a rocky breakup with Jasper, giving us an opportunity to mend some of the fences between us, before she eventually returned to the ranch in Texas with him. And then, of course, settling into living with Edward among the hectic hours of both of our jobs—

I barely noticed the time passing at all.

I walked into the apartment late one night, tiptoeing through the door so I didn't wake Edward. Yet, when I turned toward the living room, my steps halted suddenly at the sight of tiny candles scattered throughout the open area and the love of my life standing in the middle of the room, dressed in a black suit with a single red rose in his hand. Tears sprung to my eyes at the beauty of my surroundings and I shakily set my purse and portfolio down on the floor, my previous exhaustion forgotten.

I wracked my brain as I began to walk toward him—we didn't have a date that night, it wasn't our anniversary or my birthday. My mind went completely blank. "Hey, baby, what's the occasion?"

Edward smiled and handed me the rose, resting his hands on my waist and kissing me gently. "You."

I sighed contentedly against his lips and wrapped my arms around him. "Mmm, I could get used to coming home to this. Be careful, or you might spoil me."

"I wanted this to be perfect," he replied, holding my face and gazing into my eyes. "You deserve it."

His fingers traced down along my jaw as he lowered to the floor, kneeling down in front of me and reaching into his coat pocket. My arms wrapped around my stomach to halt the shaking of my hands as the realization hit me of what he was about to do. I felt a tear slide down my cheek, but my smile pulled at the corners of my lips almost painfully.

"Bella," he began, taking one of my hands from its tight hold at my side and holding a blue velvet box in the other. "Over the last three months, I've thought over about a million different ways to do this. From romantic dinners to weekend getaways, but nothing ever felt more perfect than right here, in the room where you changed my entire life forever on that computer over there. I know I'm nowhere near perfect, but in everything that we've been through, you've stuck by me even when you had every reason to give up. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you've made me from the moment you came into it. I want to make love to you every night, have babies with you, grow old with you and complain about our aching bones and arthritis together."

I laughed through my tears as he smirked up at me, kissing the back of my hand before releasing it to open the box, revealing a beautiful, yet simple, diamond ring. I was speechless as I gazed down at it—three stones set on a thin gold band, glistening against the flickering lights of the candles around us.

Edward's eyes returned to mine, seriousness returning to his gaze. "Please say yes."

I lowered into my knees in front of him, taking his face between my hands and pressing my lips to his, and then whispered, "Like I'd really say no."

He exhaled a breath of relief, our foreheads pressing together briefly, until he pulled back to place the ring on my finger. Our lips sealed once again and I pulled him with me as I lay back on the floor, tugging his tie loose. We slowly undressed each other and made love until we finally made it to our bed just before dawn. His arms wrapped around me as we both gazed out the window in complete exhaustion until we fell asleep watching the sun rise.

Thank God it was the weekend.

**x-x-x**

The morning of our wedding was complete chaos, as weddings often are. But since both Edward and I didn't want anything extravagant, just to become Mr. and Mrs. Cullen—after our idea of eloping was shot down by our mothers—we opted for a June ceremony in his parents' back yard. That left Esme and myself three months to get it all together and make sure my parents were there, which we managed almost completely without a glitch.

That was, until I woke up on the morning of my wedding, praying that I was still dreaming and in a terrible nightmare.

Gray clouds covered the sky and the rain that was supposed to hold off until the following day came down in a torrential downpour, and my tears flowed right along with it. My _one_ wish for the ceremony was to have it outdoors, and of course, _everyone_ knew it was bad luck for it to rain on your wedding day.

Everyone, it seemed, except for my future mother-in-law.

"That has _got _to be one of the worst old wives tales ever told," she said, clicking her tongue as she zipped up the back of my gown while Rose and Alice went to work on my veil. "There was rain, sleet and hail coming down the day I married Carlisle. One of the hailstones even came through one of the stained glass windows and knocked my Uncle George right in the side of the head. And here we are, thirty two years later and about to watch our own baby get married. It's you and Edward that will make it work, not the weather, Bella."

From that moment on, practically everything was perfect.

As I walked down the staircase on my father's arm, I spotted Edward standing under the archway that had been brought into the massive living room and I instantly forgot everything that had been plaguing my mind. The 'where and how' wasn't important, only that in a few moments, I would be holding his hand and binding myself to him forever.

Once we'd exchanged rings and the justice began to speak to pronounce us husband and wife, Edward stopped him before he could continue and took my hand in his. My brow furrowed as he led me from the room and out the back door, where a misting rain still fell.

"What are you doing?" I asked with a laugh and held up my skirt to keep from tripping as we hurried across the wet grass, with the guests following us under a menagerie of umbrellas.

We stopped on the bridge over the pond and he turned to face me, claiming my other hand in his as well. "The one thing you wanted for our wedding was to get married outside. What kind of husband would I be if I didn't try to fulfill such a simple request?"

My smile grew and tears formed in my eyes, hearing nothing past "by the power vested in me" from the justice when I felt Edward's hands rest gently on my face. His lips met mine before the final words even left the man's mouth and I melted into the kiss.

I didn't care that my dress was getting wet, or that my satin shoes were ruined. It didn't matter that on Monday, I would be returning to work instead of leaving on some extravagant honeymoon. They were just clothes, and a vacation we could take at any time.

I was Mrs. Edward Cullen, and my world was absolutely perfect.

**x-x-x**

Although having children was something that Edward and I both wanted, we decided to wait a year before we even began trying. Responsibilities with both of our jobs had increased and we barely had time to see each other long enough to hunt for the house we wanted, as well as _needed_ in order to have room for a baby.

Yet, when we finally moved into the three bedroom house we bought only a few miles away from his parents, I began feeling the "itch" I'd heard so much about from other women. One afternoon while Edward was at work, I sat for hours in the middle of the empty bedroom that would one day become the nursery, and my mind began whirling with ideas and plans. I could almost see the white crib in the corner and the Winnie the Pooh trim along the pale yellow walls. I closed my eyes and I could hear the gurgling across the room and the tinkling music from the mobile above.

Before I knew it, I had tears streaming down my face and my arms wrapped around my waist.

"Bella? What are you doing, baby?" Edward's voice came from the doorway and I felt his hands rest on my shoulders as he crouched behind me.

"Nothing," I replied softly, leaning back against him and pulling his arms around me. "Just a lot on my mind."

"Like what?" he whispered against my cheek, kissing it gently as he lowered himself to sit completely.

My stomach fluttered anxiously as I considered what I was about to say, and what it could change with a few simple words. But I'd never wanted something so much since the moment I said "I do", and it just felt right. "What would you think about moving up the baby making a few months?"

Edward was silent for a few moments, his arms tightening around my waist slightly before drawing in a deep breath. "You want a baby? Now?"

"Well, I was just sitting here thinking tonight," I said with a sigh, turning my head to look at him. "Our lives are never _really_ going to slow down, are they? And honestly, I could probably even work from home if I really needed to, so I could be home with the baby. I just don't think there's ever going to be a 'perfect' time to have one."

Edward's lips pursed slightly in thought and he nodded slowly, before his eyes returned to gaze at me. "Are you sure you're ready for that? The no sleep and two in the morning feedings while I'm on call, crying at all hours of the night, and I'm not just talking about the baby."

I laughed softly and bit my lip, sliding my fingers between his on my abdomen. "Yes. Are you?"

My voice carried a tone of hesitance, waiting anxiously for his reply. When one didn't come after several long moments, I exhaled heavily and shook my head.

"I'm sorry. This is really sudden and I know we said we'd wait. I'm not even sure why I came in here tonight."

"No, it's fine, baby," he replied, clearing his throat as he spoke. "And yeah, I'm pretty sure I am."

"Pretty sure?" I asked with an uncertain chuckle.

Edward's laugh joined mine and he rolled his eyes at me. "Did you take your pill tonight?"

"No, not yet." My brow creased at his statement and then I felt his lips brushing softly along my neck. "Now?"

"It's never too early to start trying, right?" he replied and I felt him smirk against my skin.

I turned my body toward him, gazing into his eyes as his head lifted. "So, we're trying?"

"We're trying," he replied, cupping my face with his hand and leaning in to seal his lips over mine. His tongue grazed mine and I froze, pulling back from him and he gave me a confused look.

"I don't know how comfortable I am doing this in the baby's room," I said, wrinkling my nose as I spoke.

Edward laughed and slid back on the floor, standing and lifting me up to join him. "Can't have her traumatized before she's even conceived, right?"

"She?" I shot back with a raised eyebrow.

"Just a gut feeling," he replied, lifting me into his arms and carrying me into our bedroom.

**x-x-x**

Millions of women get pregnant every single day, some without trying or even by complete accident.

Yet, as my twenty-fifth birthday approached, we'd been trying for eight months and I was still showing no signs of being pregnant. I hadn't been expecting anything to happen immediately, but I couldn't help the twinge of disappointment that rushed through me with every negative pregnancy test and subsequent period. Thankfully, Edward remained optimistic enough for the both of us and never allowed me to lose hope that eventually, it would happen for us. Making me all the more grateful that I had the amazing and supportive husband that I did.

Just before Christmas, Edward announced that he had to leave town for a week to attend some conference and my heart ached. We hadn't been apart for more than a couple of days while he was working since my move to Chicago, and even then, I had the knowledge that he was only a twenty minute drive away at most. And for the next week, he would be in San Diego, thousands of miles away from me again and back to texts and Skype calls, if we were lucky.

Kissing him goodbye at the airport was the hardest thing I'd done in more than two years, and I cried all the way home at the thought of the empty house and the cold side of the bed I was returning to. I barely made it through the front door of our home before all the emotions caught up with me and I had to rush for the bathroom.

The following night, I was anxious for his call, taking a long shower to kill a little more time. While making myself a cup of tea, I jumped at the familiar ring of the computer and hurried over to the table to accept the call, gazing at the face I missed at that moment more than anything.

"Hi there, beautiful," he said tiredly, leaning back against the headboard of the hotel bed.

"Hi," I replied softly, resting my chin in my hands. "You look exhausted."

Edward rubbed his hands over his face roughly and drove his fingers into his hair. "It was just a very long, draining day. And I'd much rather come home to you than a computer."

"I think I can make it worthwhile for you," I teased with a grin.

His eyes opened to look to me again and he shook his head. "Baby, you should be resting. You said you didn't get much sleep last night. I'll be home in a few days."

"Well, I wasn't exactly going _there_, but I've done more on less sleep than this with you," I pointed out, chuckling. "And it seems as if I'm going to be getting a whole lot less sleep than that in the very near future."

"Huh?" Edward replied with a confused, blank stare and my smile grew.

"Well, this is where we met, where we said I love you for the first time, and where I figured out that I couldn't spend another day without you," I began, leaning forward on the table. "I thought this should be the way I tell you 'Merry Christmas, you're going to be a daddy'."

I watched his face closely as it went lax, his jaw dropping slightly, but otherwise frozen in place. Through the webcam, it was difficult to tell if he was even breathing at that moment and I barely caught the intermittent blinking of his eyes. His gaze snapped up as I said his name and his lips twitched before he covered them with his hand. "You're pregnant?"

I nodded slowly, unsure what to make of his reaction. "Yeah, um … I was thinking about the way I was acting when you left yesterday, more emotional than I think I've ever been in my _life_, and then I got sick. But I was fine afterward. And then I got sick again at three this morning. I thought it was a long shot, but I went out and bought a test." I paused, pulling the stick out of the pocket of my robe and waved it in front of the cam, my eyes following it as I set in down on the table. "I didn't want to jinx it or get our hopes up, so I didn't say anything."

My gaze shot up again when I heard the distinct sound of him laughing; his hands covering his face with his head leaned back. They fell to his sides and he began shaking his head with an unmistakable smile on his face. "Sorry, I know this _really _isn't funny. But that's the best damn thing I've heard since 'you may kiss the bride'. And _completely_ made my day worthwhile. The only thing that would make it better is if I were there to show you _just_ how happy you've made me."

"Six more days, baby," I said with a sigh, but feeling so much relief at the smile on his face.

"You know," he started, relaxing back against the headboard again and folding his hands behind his neck. "I think it was that time in the living room, when you were wearing that little purple thing I love. That had to be the one."

"Oh God, Edward," I groaned, slapping my forehead with my hand. "You are _such_ a _guy_ sometimes."

"Or maybe in the shower the next morning. Yeah that was a good one, too," he continued, seemingly not noticing my statement.

"Honey, I know _exactly_ how many times we did it that day. I was there, you know," I sighed with my head resting against my palm.

"Just thought I should remind you, in case you forgot. Because I sure haven't," he said mischievously with a wink. "Baby, are you sure you don't want to do _that_ tonight?"

"You're going to be home in a few days, remember?" I retorted, bobbing my head sassily. He groaned and pouted a little, so I smiled teasingly back at him. "Though it would be a shame to not take advantage of a little late night encounter like this."

Edward's eyes widened in hope, and then the ass wiggled his eyebrows at me. "I knew you'd see things my way."

I laughed, covering my face with my hands and shaking my head. "I see being tired is the _last_ thing on your mind now."

The computer dinged suddenly and I looked back to the screen.

_Grneyeddoc81: So what are you wearing under that robe?_

* * *

**Again, thank you so much and hope you enjoyed. My heart is a little sad to say goodbye to these two, and while there is no plan for a sequel or outtakes at this time, as a few of you have asked. But who knows if and when inspiration will strike, so I can't complete rule at least outtakes out. However, I would like to finish up some of my other projects, as well as some new things as well.**

**Recently, ericastwilight and I collaborated on a oneshot for the Fandom Gives Back Autism Speaks fundraiser, which is still going on until the end of April, for Autism awareness. For more information on the fundraiser and the compilation for every donation of $5, please go to thefandomgivesback(dot)blogspot(dot)com. **

**Thank you and take care!  
**


	25. Just a little note

A/N: This is just a quick note for those requesting the pdf files of LNE. I have sent out several to those who have requested them, as long as I have an email address to send them to or the ability to pm to request an email address. And while the number of requests so far has truly humbled me and I have no problem at all sending it out to those who ask, I have gotten a request from an anonymous review and a couple of profiles that have private messages disabled. And I have no way to reply to these to request the information that I need in order to send it.

So, to make things easier for you all, as well as not having to wait for me to get back to you with an email, I have uploaded it to a website for you all to download it at your leisure. The link is on my profile at the bottom.

I will still reply to all the pms and reviews that I can, but you all still have that option as well.

Thank you again for this remarkable experience, and I hope to see you all around the fandom. :)

Lots of love,

Dawn(kyla713)


	26. Late Night Encounters Outtake

**A/N: Hello again everyone. Since completing Late Night Encounters in April, I have been asked many times if I intended to write a sequel or outtakes for it. And while a sequel is not in the works, either in my brain or on paper, I have felt the temptation to revisit these two in an outtake almost since the moment I checked this story as complete. And the more time that passed, the more I missed them, but couldn't think of any subject material. But then I was sitting at Starbucks one day, and I became inspired by one little kid there that day, and I envisioned the scenario working for this Edward and Bella, and the idea wouldn't leave my head. **

**I hope you all enjoy and have a very happy and safe holiday season :)**

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**Late Night Encounters Outtake ~ Edward Cullen and the Mysterious Case of the "Uh-ohs"**

_EPOV_

An unseasonably cold September rain pounded on the roof of my car as I pulled into my driveway for the first time in six days. After shutting off the engine, I remained there for an extra minute, staring at the front of the house. She wasn't at the door waiting for me as she usually would. There wasn't a single rustle of a curtain from inside. And that was when I knew without a doubt that my wife was _pissed_. If it wasn't for every room being lit from inside, I'd be a little more worried that there was no one in there at all.

Not to say that there was any real credence to that fear, just one that terrified me more than anything imaginable. Bella and I had been married for just over three years, and our beautiful son, Connor Michael Cullen, was born the previous August, weighing just under eight pounds and with a full head of silky blond hair. Unlike Bella or myself when we were little, the strands never darkened, and in fact, grew lighter as the months passed, and it was difficult to imagine him any other way.

Bella took to motherhood effortlessly, and I had to admit, I envied her a little. It was such a struggle for me to even get a diaper on straight for the first couple of months after he was born, while she could do it one-handed with her eyes closed and carrying on a coherent conversation all at once, and that was not an exaggeration—I'd actually seen the woman do it. And when it came time for her maternity leave to end when Connor was twelve weeks old, she sat me down one night and asked my thoughts on her taking an at-home position her company was offering and trying for another baby. It would be less income, but she would still be doing the job she loved and financially, I knew it was more than feasible. We were both fairly frugal people, whose largest expense aside from the monthly mortgage payment was the _practical_ purchase of a new car for Bella after the baby was born. We didn't want or need much for material things, but we _had_ talked about having more children shortly following Connor's arrival. We both hoped for one more, and given how long it had taken for us to conceive our son, we thought 'the sooner, the better'. We wanted our kids to be close in age, and before I turned thirty-five in just over two years.

Just as with our first attempt to conceive, the second was just as difficult, and as of Connor's first birthday, Bella still was not pregnant and trying not to feel discouraged. Then, two weeks later, all efforts stopped abruptly.

The moment I told Bella that I would be out of town the week of her birthday for work, she became a little distant. Sleeping with her back to me after a chaste kiss goodnight, pecking my cheek and waving goodbye when I left for work in the morning— definitely not our usual routine. She insisted that she understood that the timing of the conference was beyond my control, but the hurt in her eyes was unmistakable. And this time, there was nothing I could do to make it right.

I tried to get out of it, to no avail. No one cares that you're in the doghouse with your wife because of work, until it happens to them. And all the higher-ups in administration were divorced—big surprise.

I offered to take her and Connor with me, but she insisted that it wouldn't be fair for a one year old to be stuck in a hotel room all day. And I couldn't argue there.

I suggested we go together, so we could at least spend the evening of her birthday together, just the two of us. But she was nowhere near ready to leave our son yet, and that's where her mind would be anyway.

So, no matter which way I turned, it was a losing situation and it had lasted nearly a month before I left. I had some _major_ ass kissing to do if I wanted to touch my wife in any way, any time in the near or distant future.

I reached over to the passenger seat for the dozen white roses I'd stopped for on the way home before running into the house. "Hello? Anyone home?"

Bella turned her head toward me from her seat on the couch, giving me a small smile and standing to make her way over to me. "Hey, what took you so long to come in?"

I leaned toward her to brush her lips with mine, resting my hand on her cheek. I'd missed her more than I could ever explain to her with words, and hoped that I wouldn't have to be away from her again anytime soon.

"Uh oh!" A tiny voice came from the floor and I pulled away from Bella to look down to the source. Big blue eyes stared up at me and a tiny hand gripped onto my pant leg. It never failed to amaze me how much he was growing to look more and more like his grandparents, and less like Bella or myself. He had the blonde hair of my father, and my mother's eyes, and even inherited the hint of a widow's peak from Charlie. Yet, his mannerisms mimicked Bella's so perfectly without even trying, and if anything was going to delay my reunion with my wife, I couldn't think of something better than my little boy.

"Hey there, little man," I said, waiting for Bella to take the flowers from my hand and reaching down to lift him into my arms, kissing his hair firmly. "Oh, Daddy's missed you."

"Da-y! Uh oh!" he repeated and I glanced over to Bella, who merely smirked and turned away, stating she was going to find a vase.

"Uh oh what, buddy?" I asked as I turned my attention back to him.

"Uh oh!" he repeated over and over.

The first thought I had was of Emmett and Rose's little Emma right around Connor's age, loudly announcing to anyone in hearing range whenever she had a dirty diaper. I hoisted him up more and took a brief sniff at his back … nothing.

"Baby? What's wrong with Connor?" I asked worriedly, settling him onto my hip.

"Nothing, why?" I heard her call back from the next room.

"Uh oh!"

"Because all he's saying is _that_?"

"You're a smart man. I'm sure you'll figure it out," she replied, standing in the doorway with a cocked brow. "I'll start getting dinner ready."

I watched as she disappeared back into the kitchen while bouncing Connor lightly through his endless chorus of "uh ohs". I brought him back in front of me, holding him up beneath his armpits and he let out a loud giggle. His swinging feet caught me square in the lower abdomen, causing me to grunt and shift my hips back on reflex before he struck me elsewhere.

"Uh oh!" Connor announced a little louder while I set him on the floor, looking up at me somewhat nervously.

"It's okay, buddy," I said, rustling his hair with my hand, but in the next breath, he began toddling around the room again with his chant. "Connor, can you show Daddy the 'uh oh'?"

Yes, I was quite aware of the lameness of that attempt, but I was at a loss as to what else to try. He tilted his head slightly as he gazed up at me, as if to say, "Yeah, Dad, like I'd really make it _that_ simple for you?"; a look he'd learned quite well from his mother.

Nonetheless, I began following him on his trek through the house, looking under every table he crawled beneath, behind every lamp, and even inside his toy box. Nothing seemed misplaced, broken or out of the ordinary. I tried switching the movie that was playing on the television, grabbing his blanket from his crib. I even carried him upstairs when he climbed into my lap, pointing to my face with a loud exclamation of the two syllables that had begun ringing in my ears even when my child was completely silent. Again, there was nothing I could spot.

All through dinner, I watched Bella as she ate without a care in the world, while I was losing my damn mind and feeling like the worst father in the world. Nothing I did was solving the "uh oh" issue, whatever that might have been, because I sure as hell had no idea.

As I gave him a bath before bed to remove the Spaghetti-O's from his hair and face, everything seemed to bring on another utterance. Whether it was my fingers working the shampoo through his soft, baby-fine locks, or his hands running his toy boat in circles around him, or the harsh contact it made with the surface and causing water to douse my face and shirt.

"Uh oh," Connor murmured, much softer that time, gazing up at me as I gasped in surprise.

I wiped my hand over my face and blinked repeatedly from getting bath water in my eyes. Looking back down to him, I lightly splashed his stomach to show him that I wasn't mad, however, that only resulted with him increasing his own efforts to drench me.

I proceeded to bathe him, and once I'd finished, I had to grab hold of him before he streaked through the house, and then I changed him and put him to bed. I set his favorite stuffed penguin in the crib beside him, turned on his nightlight, and finally stood over him, stroking his hair until he uttered one last "uh oh" in a whisper. With one final shuddering sigh through his nose, my little boy was sound asleep, and I quietly crept out of the room.

I crossed the hall to our bedroom, standing in the doorway for a moment and watching my wife as she calmly read in bed. "There was absolutely nothing wrong with him, was there?"

Bella's lips twitched slightly before she looked up at me, shaking her head slowly back and forth. "Nothing whatsoever, just as I said. That _was_ an entertaining two hours, though."

"I'm so glad you think so," I replied sarcastically, crossing the room to retrieve some dry clothes, as I still hadn't dried completely. After changing, I collapsed on my side of the bed with a heavy exhale, staring at the ceiling. The room was completely silent, save for the soft rustle of paper against paper with each page Bella turned. "I'm really sorry, baby."

"I know. It's fine," she said in an indecipherably flat tone as she continued to read.

"Why do you want another baby with me, Bella?" I asked suddenly and I finally felt her gaze upon me.

"What?" she whispered with the first hint of emotion in her voice I'd heard all night. "Honey, what are you talking about?"

I sighed and turned my head to look at her, meeting her gaze with mine. "I can't get even the husband thing right. I wasn't here for your birthday, and I couldn't think of anything good enough to get you to make up for that. So I resorted to the lameness of flowers." I paused, watching her eyes widen infinitesimally. "And I think I've proven tonight that I don't score much higher in the father category, either. Searching for some mystery problem that wasn't even there."

Bella began shaking her head against as she closed her book, setting it on her bedside table and sliding down to rest her head on her pillow, inches away from mine. "Edward, you are an _amazing_ father. And the fact that you care so much about something as simple as your son's new favorite sound doesn't take away from that. It just makes you that much more incredible. And as for the other part…"

Her fingers traced lightly along my cheek and I closed my eyes at the sensation caused by her touch. I'd missed feeling her soft skin against mine, regardless of how slight the contact, and I was afraid to move, not wanting it to stop.

"You've never gotten the 'husband thing' _wrong_," Bella continued and my gaze met hers again, moments before she shifted closer to me and pressed her lips gently to mine. "I'm sorry I made you feel that way. I was upset, but not really with you. I just hate being away from you so much, and with everything that's going on … I really wasn't looking forward to spending my birthday without you."

I might have been a little angry with her for shutting me out for an entire month if it hadn't been for the look on my wife's face at that very moment. I knew that the passing months had been getting progressively harder on her, wanting another baby so badly and not really having any reason why we couldn't. We'd had every test imaginable done, and still no answers. And now there was a sincere expression of embarrassment in her eyes and tears welling that she tried hard to blink away. I was well aware that women could turn on the water works at a second's notice, knowing most men's weakness to it—but not my Bella. She despised to be seen crying for any reason, even in some of our toughest moments. The only time I'd actually seen her _really_ do so without restraint or attempt to hide them was the day our son was born. I brought my hand to her cheek, stroking it gently with my thumb before kissing her lovingly on the lips. "So, was it _really _that entertaining tonight?"

I felt her forehead crease and a moment later, she opened her eyes to look at me. They flickered back and forth between mine, clearly confused by my shift in mood and began nodding hesitantly. "Yeah, it was. I honestly thought you'd figure it out sooner. For such a smart man, you're kinda clueless sometimes."

I gave a soft chuckle as she continued to gaze at me questioningly, sliding my hand down her arm to move around her back. "Thanks a lot, baby. So am I forgiven, then?"

Her watery eyes crinkled at the corners and she nodded, wrapping her arms around my waist. "Now that I've gotten everything I wanted for my birthday…definitely."

I gazed at her for a moment until she tightened her hold around me, slipping her leg between mine and capturing my lips with hers. Even after a baby and three years of marriage, she could still set my heart pounding with the simplest of looks or gestures and was, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman in the world in my eyes. I remembered my father telling my mother when I was younger that he loved her more than the day he married her. By the time I was a teenager, I thought it was just some cheesy line he showered her with for a chance to get lucky or something equally as nauseating. However, as I gazed up at my wife when she rolled me onto my back and straddled my hips, I finally understood exactly what he was talking about.

I was still falling in love with Bella every single day, always finding new things _to_ love about her. It never ceased to amaze me that whether we were laughing or fighting, in the same room or miles apart, it didn't matter. Every ounce of love and passion I felt for her, I could see reflected in her eyes in no less than equal amounts. And I knew exactly what a lucky bastard I was.

"I love you," I whispered against her lips as my hands ran along her thighs to her hips, just beneath the nightgown she wore that barely covered her ass.

Bella's fingers traced along my jaw as she kissed me gently before opening her eyes. "I love _you_. I've really missed you."

I knew from the seriousness of her gaze and the desperate sound of her voice that she was _not_ just talking about the time I'd been out of town. If there was any benefit to our relationship starting out as it had, that still held purpose in our everyday lives, it was in the way we read each other. We'd had to look beyond touches to find the intimacy between us, and learned to communicate best through our eyes and tones, little things that would go unnoticed by those people who'd always taken the physical presence of their spouse or significant other for granted. It was something we learned very early on that you could never do.

"I've missed you, too, Bella," I replied softly, sweeping her hair away from her face and neck, and twining it gently around my fingers. Our lips met again in a passionate kiss and we sat up, her hands leaving my face to move down to the edge of her nightgown, slowly lifting it up her body. She broke away long enough to discard it to the floor before her arms clung around my shoulders, pressing her breasts to my chest and resuming the kiss heatedly.

I groaned at the feeling of holding her and the rocking of her hips against me. The need to reconnect with each other hung heavily in the air and was palpable in the way we were touching. And when her hand slid between us and inside my waistband, wrapping her fingers around my length and pressing me against her through our remaining clothing, I was consumed with need for her. The friction caused by her movements became too much and I hugged around her tightly to roll her onto her back, grazing my tongue against her lips to deepen our kiss and my request was quickly granted.

"I need you, baby. Now. Please," Bella panted with gasping breaths as our kiss parted, her eyes heavily lidded with desire as she gazed up at me. Her fingers moved from my erection and gripped the fabric of my pants, shoving them down over my hips. When I rose a little to kick them off, she made fast work of her panties and she was bare beneath me before I could even settle back between her legs.

As I positioned myself against her, I felt her fingers grip my hair and pull me down to meet her lips as I slid into her. Our kiss muffled our groans against each other and I remained stationary for a moment once I'd filled her. Fuck, she still felt so damn good, and after a month, I felt read to erupt like an over-eager teenager. _Not_ what I had in mind.

I began to slowly move inside her and her hold on my hair tightened, soft whimpers escaping her throat and her hips rising to meet each of my thrusts. We found a solid rhythm with one another and as our lips parted again, our eyes locked and her fingers began twirling in my hair. Her teeth found her lip as I guided her leg up my side and pressed deeper within her, followed by a soft grunt and her toes curling against the back of my thigh.

"Shit!" she whispered huskily, gripping my shoulders and pushing me back on the bed, settling her hips over mine and holding my face between her hands. "Think you can keep quiet while I fuck my gorgeous husband?"

I released a shaky breath as I felt her clench around me as her soft words ghosted over my lips, nodding slowly with my eyes closed.

"Good," Bella replied with a smirk evident in her voice, obviously satisfied with my response. Her hands took mine from her hips and laced her fingers between mine, pressing them to the pillow as she rose and then slowly lowered on me again. "I need your cock deep inside me, making me see stars as only you can."

My breath hitched as she dragged her teeth along my lip, pinching it with them gently. She hadn't spoken to me that way since before Connor was born, and it caused me to harden even more within her, my hips lifting involuntarily toward hers. Using her grip on my hands as leverage, she began rocking over me and steadily increased her pace with each movement, until she was moving fluidly along my length and hissing between her teeth.

I opened my eyes to watch the rare sight of my wife riding me in such an uninhibited manner, her face and chest flushing with the arousal coursing within her. I loved my wife and son more than anything in the world and wouldn't trade them or the life we had together for the world. However, there were times I missed moments like that. When we were just Edward and Bella, stripped down to the basics and the primal need we once felt for each other.

"Fuck," I sighed heavily as she began rolling her hips with each descent, biting her own lip to restrain the groan I heard rumbling in her chest. "Baby, let me touch you, please."

Bella squeezed my hands and shook her head, leaning down to kiss me enticingly. "Uh-uh. I'm almost there."

I closed my eyes at her breathless statement, tilting my head back into the pillow as her pace quickened and caused my stomach to tighten. My fingers gripped her hands firmly as I fought to keep my hips still, knowing that one slight movement in conjunction with hers could spark my release, and I wanted to feel her come first.

Bella's head lowered to my shoulder and she gently bit my skin, arching her lower back slightly and I could feel her clit rubbing along my length with every movement in and out of her. I sucked in a sharp hiss through my teeth, clenching them as her body tensed above and around me, soft grunts escaped her while she orgasmed, riding me faster in response.

"Bella, I'm gonna come," I panted, my voice a little louder than I'd intended.

"Shh," she whispered, bringing her lips to mine to silence me. "Turn me over first."

Sliding my hands from beneath her loosened grip, I took hold of her waist and flipped her roughly onto her back, eliciting a pleasured moan from her with the action. Her legs hooked around mine as I lifted her hands to pin them above her head, smirking as my hips slowed to tease her for a moment, and she growled.

"Fuck, Bella, you look so hot coming around me. I've missed that. Your lips, the smell of your hair, the way you taste," I said in low voice, accentuating with the flick of my tongue along her jaw. She moaned as I continued to move along her neck with my lips, eliciting the richest sounds from her and she threw her head back, tugging at her imprisoned hands beneath mine. "My turn."

I thrust deeper inside her, causing her breasts to press against me with the arching of her back, eyes closing as her teeth clenched in restraint. "Oh fuck, Edward."

"You like that, Bella?" I taunted against her skin and her nails dug into the back of my hand, and I rose to watch her eyes lock fiercely with mine. It was such an arousing sight that I couldn't hold back anymore, tensing inside her with my release.

Bella's arms wrapped tightly around my shoulders, pulling me against her as the feeling subsided and I kissed along her neck while I fought to regain my breath. "We definitely need to do that again soon."

My head lifted to look down at her again and watched her mouth twitch with a burgeoning smile before her eyes finally opened to gaze at me. Before our drought of the past month, I thought our sex life had still been great, but her words caused a shiver of doubt to course through me. Had it not been as gratifying for her as I'd believed? Since becoming parents, obviously, some of the spontaneity had dwindled, but I hadn't thought we'd lost the spark between us. Suddenly, she giggled softly and her fingers wove into my hair, kissing me firmly.

"You crazy, wonderful man. I'm not complaining about our sex life," she whispered against me, her nails dragging lightly along my scalp. I sighed, resting my forehead against hers and cursing myself for being so damn transparent. My eyes closed at the embarrassment of the insecurities I thought had long disappeared making an encore appearance, but her touch softened even more as she traced along my cheek with her nose. "I've _never_ had a complaint about that, baby. It's just nice to see that my green-eyed doc is still in there from time to time."

My eyes opened again in surprise, catching a brief glimpse of the wicked glint in her eyes before she kissed me feverishly. I groaned as I felt myself becoming aroused again within her and pressed my hips forward, causing her body to shiver. "As well as _my_ BellaNova."

Bella smiled against my lips at my grunted statement, her hands lowering to my ass and her muscles tightening around my reawakening erection. "Up for round two?"

We made fierce, passionate love again, and that time, lay side by side in panting satisfaction when we finished, but our hands entwined between us.

"I love you," she whispered, turning her head toward me and kissing my shoulder.

"I love you, too," I replied just as softly with my lips pressed against her hair.

When she rolled onto her side to snuggle into my arms, we continued to lay quietly, but my mind began racing as I listened to the soft, indistinct murmurings of our son through the monitor on the bedside table. I knew he wasn't waking—he just had the tendency to talk in his sleep like his mother—but the sounds were thought provoking, in complete contrast to what had just transpired in that room. "Bella?"

"Yeah?" she replied in a barely audible voice as her fingers traced lightly back and forth over my chest.

I took a deep breath and swallowed hard, staring at the ceiling in silence until I felt her head rise from my shoulder. My eyes shifted to hers, where I found her looking at me worriedly. "If we never have another baby, we'll be okay, right?"

"Wow, that came completely out of nowhere," she said, blinking repeatedly before rising up on her elbow and holding the blanket to her chest with the other hand. "You think our marriage is conditional on how many children we have?"

"No," I sighed, folding my arms over my chest. "I just know how much you want another one, and I do, too. But if for some reason we _can't_…"

Bella waited for a moment as I trailed off and then began shaking her head. "Then we only have one, and I'm definitely okay with that. We have a perfectly beautiful, healthy little boy in the next room, and I feel so happy and blessed with him. Will _you_ be okay?"

I gazed at her as her eyes fell to my chest and wrapped my arms around her again, hugging her against me and kissing her hair. "As long as I have you and Connor, I'll _always_ be okay."

**x-x-x**

Bella and I never did conceive again, but four years later, after being on a waiting list for two years, we became the parents to a set of twins, a boy and a girl, put up for adoption by a pregnant teenage girl. I'd been reserved at first when Bella suggested the route of adoption, sure that I could never feel the same connection to a child that my wife didn't give birth to as I did with Connor. That all changed the instant I held little Morgan in my arms, and watched Bella cradling Patrick with those telling tears in her eyes.

I was holding our daughter. She was holding our son. Even genetics couldn't have made that feeling more real. We were one blissful, complete family with the two of us and our three beautiful children.

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**A/N: I have received a few requests for the PDF of this story, and it's still such a humbling feeling. I have updated the download link for the PDF on my profile to include this outtake, as well as added mobi and epub versions available for download as well. Thank you all so much for your support of this story, and hope you hall have a very safe and happy new year. :)**


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